title: Nasopharyngeal cancers: A retrospective comparative analysis of radiotherapy alone versus chemo-radiation (Benghazi experience).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer of Nasopharynx is an important disease in Maghreb region. 75 patients (4.3%) of cancer nasopharynx between the years 1995 to 2000 were referred to our centre in Benghazi out of total 1757 patients. This study was done to analyze the clinical presentations and to study response to the treatment practiced.
  
  
  METHODS
  59 patients were available with full records excluding the recurrent and metastatic presentation. 37 were males with 22 females (1.7:1), (31/59) 52% patients were from 25-49 years, (17/59) 28.8% were from 50-60 years. 44/59 (74%) patients presented with Lymphadenopathy either unilateral or bilateral. 46/59 (78%) of patients were in clinical stage II or III. 44/59 (74%) of patients were of undifferentiated histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pattern of clinical response and trend of follow up those that received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy and radiotherapy alone are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our analysis, we also found that the patients who had received chemotherapy by and large had a less trend to towards developing metastatic disease and local recurrence and faired better.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We are now following the protocol of Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemo-radiotherapy and followed by chemotherapy and results will mature in the years to come.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pakkirmasthan
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Specialist, Sekgoma Memorial Hospital, Serowe, Botswana, Africa.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurakula
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies