title: Clinical observation and quality of life in terms of nasal sinusitis after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: long-term results from different nasal irrigation techniques.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between nasal irrigation techniques (NIT) and the survival rate and the quality of life (QOL) in patients with nasal sinusitis (NS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied data from 1134 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who received radical radiotherapy, which were randomly divided into three groups (A, B and C). Group A used nasal irrigator; Group B used homemade nasal irrigation (NI) connector combined with enemator; and Group C used nasal sprayer. The clinical effects, 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were observed. Furthermore, the QOL in patients with NS was evaluated using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up time was 69 months. The 5-year OS and PFS were 80.5% and 73.2%, respectively, for all patients. There was no significant difference in OS, PFS, xerostomia and neck skin toxicity grade 3 and greater among groups. There was no difference among groups. The incidence of NS was the highest in group C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The symptoms of NS seriously affected the QOL period of 1 year. Group C showed no improvement during the follow-up period, which for A and B, by contrast, had after 1 year. Although the exact mechanism remains to be explored in NIT, our findings suggest that patients with NPC should nasal irrigate for 2 years after radiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that a nasal irrigator is necessary for patients with NPC for a high QOL in terms of NS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fuzhou General Hospital of Nanjing Command, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Z-C
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: S-G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: D-S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L-P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052016:Mucositis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D055556:Nasal Lavage / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000209:etiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects; D015996:Survival Rate; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult