title: Brachytherapy boost in loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a prospective randomized trial of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose was to determine whether a brachytherapy boost improves outcomes in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with standard chemo-radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma WHO grades I-III and TNM stages III or non-metastatic stage IV were eligible for this phase III study. Patients were randomized to either arm (A) induction chemotherapy, followed by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with concomitant cisplatin (n = 139) or arm (B), the same schedule plus a brachytherapy boost to the nasopharynx (n = 135). The EBRT doses given were 70 Gy to the primary tumour and positive lymph nodes and 46 Gy to the negative neck. The additional brachytherapy boost in arm (B) was given by either low dose-rate (LDR - 11 Gy) or high dose-rate (HDR - 3 fractions of 3.0 Gy) brachytherapy. The primary endpoint was 3-year overall survival (OS) and secondary endpoints were: local control, regional control, distant metastasis and grade 3-4 adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  274 patients were randomized between September 2004 and December 2008. The two arms were comparable with regard to age, gender, stage and grade. 273 patients completed treatment. Median follow-up was 29 months (0.2-67 months). The effect of treatment arm, country, age, gender, WHO pathology, stage (T3-4, N2-3 versus other) and chemotherapy on overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was studied. Stage significantly affected OS (p = 0.024) and DFS (p = 0.018) while age significantly affected OS (p = 0.014). None of the other factors studied were significant. The 3-year LRFS was 60.5% and 54.4% in arms A and B respectively (p = 0.647). The 3-year regional control rate in the neck was 59.7% and 54.3% respectively (p = 0.7). Distant metastasis developed in 59.7% of patients in arm A and 55.4% in arm B (p = 0.377). Patients with T1/T2 N + had a 3 year LRFS of 51.8% in Arm A (62 patients) versus 57.9% in Arm B (67 patients) (p = 0.343). The grade 3-4 toxicity rate was 21.6% (30/139) and 24.4% (33/135) respectively (p = 0.687).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of a brachytherapy boost to external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy did not improve outcome in loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria. e.rosenblatt@iaea.org.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.forename: May
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel-Wahab
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Gantiry
authors.forename: Inas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Elattar
authors.forename: Jean Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bourque
authors.forename: M'hamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afiane
authors.forename: Nouredine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benjaafar
authors.forename: Shahid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abubaker
authors.forename: Yaowalak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chansilpa
authors.forename: Bhadrasain
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vikram
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Levendag
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001918:Brachytherapy; D002277:Carcinoma; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies; D008297:Male; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009678:Nuclear Energy; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015251:Epirubicin; D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin