[The histomorphological changes of the nasal mucosa in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients postradiotherapy].
OBJECTIVE
To study the histomorphology at the nasal mucosa in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients postradiotherapy.


METHODS
Forty-seven specimens from the nasal mucosa of NPC patients postradiotherapy were observed under light microscope. The changes of the mucosal histomorphology include cells and cilia in epithelium, basal layer, glandular and glandular cells in lamina propria. Six specimens were observed under electron microscope, including the changes of the cilia and ciliated columnar epithelial cells in epithelium.


RESULTS
The histomorphology of the 47 specimens were normal before radiotherapy. In the 47 specimens, six specimens had no changes but 41 specimens were found various changes postradiotherapy. The mucosal changes of epithelium and cilia desquamating, basal layer thickening, decrease of the serous glands and increase of the mucous glands in lamina propria were observed under light microscope. We found the cilia structural abnormalities and the abnormal phenomena of the epithelium under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that the various extent of destruction of the nasal mucosa may be the pathological basis of complicating nasal or sinusitis in NPC patients postradiotherapy.
Si
Yongfeng
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Institute of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Nanning, China. syfklxf@yahoo.com.cn
Wei
Haiming
H
Huang
Bo
B
Lan
Guiping
G
Lu
Jinlong
J
Zhang
Zheng
Z
Li
Bing
B
Zhou
Rijing
R
D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome