Nasal and paranasal sinus changes after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To study sinonasal side-effects after radiotherapy (RT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.


METHODS
The study subjects comprised 32 cases of NPC (23 new cases, 9 old cases) who had been treated with RT with no recurrence. They were subjected to a saccharine test, nasal endoscopy and CT.


RESULTS
There was a gradual and persistent increase in the saccharine delay time after RT. Endoscopy showed that, early post-RT, edema and discharge were replaced by delayed crusting and adhesions. CT showed that the maxillary sinus, anterior ethmoid sinus and ostiomeatal complex were the areas most affected.


CONCLUSIONS
Rhinosinusitis is a common post-RT side-effect in NPC patients. A pre-RT saccharine test is a good predictor of those patients who are more likely to develop sinonasal side-effects. Functional endoscopic sinus surgery should be considered with caution in post-RT rhinosinusitis.
Kamel
Reda
R
Department of ENT, Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. rkamel@mednet2.camed.eun.eg
Al-Badawy
Samy
S
Khairy
Akram
A
Kandil
Tarek
T
Sabry
Aly
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000528:radiation effects; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000209:etiology; D012439:Saccharin; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000209:etiology
D012439:Saccharin