title: Treatment outcomes and feasibility of partial neck irradiation for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma with only retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis after intensity-modulated radiotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to summarize the treatment outcomes and evaluate the feasibility of partial neck irradiation in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with only retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLNs) metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2003 and December 2007, 54 patients with NPC who received partial neck irradiation to levels II, III, and VA and 100 patients who received whole neck irradiation were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year disease free survival (DFS), disease metastasis-free survival, (DMFS) local relapse-free survival (LRFS), and regional relapse-free survival (RRFS) rates were 81.8%, 87.7%, 94.8%, and 98.1%, respectively. The 5-year RRFS and DFS rates for the partial neck irradiation group and whole neck irradiation group were 98.1% versus 98.0% (p = .882), 87.0% vs 77.0% (p = .117), respectively. Partial neck irradiation was not considered a significant prognostic factor for any endpoint in univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partial irradiation of neck levels II, III, and VA might be acceptable for patients with NPC with only RLN metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ling-Long
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yan-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Wen-Fei
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Li-Zhi
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ai-Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: intensity-modulated radiotherapy; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; partial neck irradiation; recurrence; retropharyngeal lymph node