Definitive radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to report the outcomes after definitive radiotherapy (RT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
Between March 1983 and November 2003, 82 patients were treated with curative intent and followed from 0.2 to 22 years (median, 5 years). Follow-up on living patients ranged from 2.8 to 22 years (median, 10.8 years). Thirty-two patients (39%) were treated once daily, 45 patients (55%) were treated with hyperfractionation, and 5 patients (6%) were treated with the concomitant boost technique. Eight patients (10%) received intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Thirty-one patients (38%) received induction (17 patients) or concomitant (14 patients) chemotherapy. Fourteen patients (17%) underwent a planned neck dissection.


RESULTS
The 5-year outcomes after treatment were: local control, 78%; regional control, 90%; local-regional control, 76%; distant metastasis-free survival, 80%; cause-specific survival, 66%; and survival, 57%. The impact of T-stage, N-stage, overall stage, World Health Organization class, fractionation schedule, and adjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated in a multivariate analysis of various outcomes. Only N-stage and World Health Organization class impacted regional control.


CONCLUSIONS
The likelihood of cure after RT is relatively high. Although the likelihood of cure diminished with increasing stage, none of the parameters evaluated significantly influenced outcomes aside from N-stage and WHO class.
Mendenhall
William M
WM
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA. mendewil@shands.ufl.edu
Morris
Christopher G
CG
Hinerman
Russell W
RW
Malyapa
Robert S
RS
Amdur
Robert J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome