title: Nasopharyngeal carcinomas: analysis of patient, tumor and treatment characteristics determining outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study reviews the experience in treatment of 447 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomas, analyzing patient, tumor and treatment characteristics determining outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were 322 males and 125 females, their ages ranging from 7 to 85 years (median, 45 years). Two-hundred and seventy-two patients had World Health Organization (WHO) type 3 carcinomas, 123 patients had T4 tumors and 320 patients had metastatic cervical lymph nodes. Three-hundred and eight patients were treated with radiation therapy alone and 139 patients with chemotherapy in combination with radiation therapy. Cumulative radiation dose to primary tumor ranged from 50 to 76Gy (median, 70Gy) and radiation dose to metastatic cervical lymph nodes ranged from 46 to 74Gy (median, 66Gy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up ranged from 0.1 to 19.5 years (mean, 7.6 years). Local complete response was achieved in 357 patients. In multivariate analysis, T-classification, cumulative radiation dose to primary tumor and treatment with chemotherapy in combination with radiation therapy predicted local response. Nodal complete response was achieved in 272 patients. In multivariate analysis, N-classification and radiation dose to metastatic cervical lymph nodes predicted nodal response. Local failure was observed in 70 patients, nodal failure in 35 patients and systemic failure in 114 patients. Overall survival, disease-free survival and disease-specific survival were 33, 32 and 37%, respectively, at 10 years. In multivariate analysis, age, T-classification, N-classification, radiation dose and treatment with chemotherapy in combination with radiation therapy predicted overall survival whereas T-classification, N-classification, radiation dose and treatment with chemotherapy in combination with radiation therapy predicted both disease-free survival and disease-specific survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiation therapy alone appears to be an adequate and viable treatment for patients with early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinomas, whereas treatment with chemotherapy in combination with radiation therapy appears to improve outcome for patients with advanced-stage nasopharyngeal carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, TR-06100, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Erkal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cakmak
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002945:Cisplatin