Primary tumour volume delineation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and correlation with 1997 AJCC tumour stage classification.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the variability in primary tumour volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and compare it with the tumour staging of the 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Tertiary care centre.


METHODS
A series of 33 newly diagnosed patients who were treated with high-dose radiotherapy participated in the study.


METHODS
Using computed tomographic scans, primary tumour volumes were measured using the summation-of-areas technique, and the variability in tumour volume was determined. The Mann-Whitney test was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
A large variation in primary tumour volume was observed, especially in advanced-stage cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma shows considerable variability in primary tumour volume. Incorporation of primary tumour volume may lead to further refinement of the 1997 tumour staging system.
Chang
C C
CC
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan.
Chen
M K
MK
Liu
M T
MT
Wen
Y S
YS
Wu
H K
HK
Chang
T H
TH
Wu
L J
LJ
Lin
S Y
SY
Lin
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D048429:Cell Size; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed