title: Tumor Volume Predicts Survival Rate of Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.
abstract: To delineate the prognostic value of primary gross tumor volume (GTVp) for patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
  
  
  
  Analysis of prognostic variables in a prospective cohort.
  
  
  
  Department of Radiotherapy, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, China.
  
  
  
  Between January 2006 and August 2008, 249 patients with stage III-IVb NPC, all treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy plus concurrent chemotherapy, were included in this multicenter prospective study. GTVp was measured with treatment-planning computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans.
  
  
  
  GTVp was significantly associated with locoregional control, distant metastasis, and overall survival for patients with advanced NPC. Furthermore, T classification was not an independent prognostic factor. In receiver operator receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, 33 mL was determined as the cutoff points of GTVp for OS and locoregional control. Patients with a GTVp ≥33 mL had poorer OS, worse locoregional control, and more distant metastasis than patients with a GTVp <33 mL (P = .006, .009, .002, and .007, respectively).
  
  
  
  GTVp had significant prognostic value for patients with advanced NPC. The incorporation of GTVp could improve the current TNM classification system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China Department of Radiation Oncology, Liuzhou Worker Hospital, Liuzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Heming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Liuzhou Worker Hospital, Liuzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guisheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China 13807806008@163.com.
authors.forename: Rensheng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D047368:Tumor Burden
keywords: intensity-modulated radiotherapy; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; primary tumor volume; prognosis