title: Paired study of 172 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with or without dermatomyositis.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The prognosis and late adverse effects of radiotherapy (RT) in the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with or without dermatomyositis (DM) were similar, although the NPC patients with DM had higher Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) VCA-IgA titers and more severe acute side effects. Gender, TNM stage, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors of overall survival for NPC with DM. Glucocorticoid treatment did not affect the survival of NPC patients with DM.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and differences in the toxicity of RT in patients with NPC with or without DM.
  
  
  METHODS
  A paired study of 172 NPC cases with DM (DM group) or without DM (control group) from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DM group had higher EBV VCA-IgA titers than the control group (p = 0.017) and more acute adverse effects of RT (p < 0.001). No significant differences in the overall survival or late adverse effects were found between the two groups. Gender, TNM stage, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for the overall survival in the DM group. No significant differences in the overall survival were found between the patients in the DM group who were taking glucocorticoids and those who were not.
authors.affiliation: Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine , Guangzhou.
authors.forename: Pei-Yu
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zong-Liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Dong-Hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hai-Qiang
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Ming-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan-Xian
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hao-Yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D002277:Carcinoma; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; Radiotherapy; prognosis