title: Brachytherapy boost for T1/T2 nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to review our experience and demonstrate the safety of intracavitary brachytherapy (ICB) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred seventy-eight patients with early T1-2b disease underwent radical external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) followed by ICB boost. The primary tumor received 66 Gy of EBRT over 33 fractions using 6 or 10 MV photons. ICB insertions were performed 1 week later, delivering 10 Gy in 2 fractions over 8 days. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to calculate the actuarial 5-year overall survival (OS), cause-specific survival, local control, and disease-free survival (DFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five-year local control rates were 91.6%. OS, DFS, and cause-specific survival were estimated to be 85.25%, 81.7%, and 87.9%, respectively. Median follow-up was 86 months. There were no documented serious complications noted with ICB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICB boost supplementing radical EBRT is an excellent method of enhancing local control for patients with NPC with early T1-2b disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore. richard.yeo.m.c@nccs.com.sg
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Kam Weng
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Siew Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hee
authors.forename: Eu Tiong
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012846:Singapore; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult