title: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: presenting symptoms and duration before diagnosis.
abstract: This is a retrospective analysis of 4768 patients with undifferentiated or non-keratinising carcinoma of the nasopharynx who were treated during 1 January 1976 to 31 December 1985. The mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 8 months (range, 1-36 months for 95% of patients). A significant association between the duration of symptoms and the presenting stage was observed (P<0.001); 58% and 39% of stage I and stage V patients, respectively, reported as having had symptoms for less than 6 months. Of the later presenters (those having had symptoms for 6 months or longer), 89% were given a full course of radical megavoltage radiotherapy, but 6% were too advanced for any irradiation attempt. Consequently, the 10-year actuarial disease-specific survival was significantly higher among the early presenters: 48% versus 42% (P<0.001). The importance of early detection is emphasised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Chai Wan, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: A WM
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Foo
authors.forename: S CK
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Sze
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: O
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lau