ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients who developed bone-only metastasis after primary treatment and the stratification of these patients into different risk groups based on independent prognostic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty NPC patients who developed bone-only metastasis after definitive radiotherapy from October 2005 to December 2010 were enrolled. All these patients received palliative treatment for bone metastasis, including chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Clinical features, treatment modality, and laboratory parameters were examined with univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 15.5 months (range, 2-67 months) for the whole cohort. The median overall metastatic survival (OMS) time and the 2-year estimate OMS rate were 26.5 months and 52%, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that patients with short metastases-free interval, multiple bone metastases sites, high serum lactic dehydrogenase levels, and treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone had significantly worse outcomes. Patients were stratified into three different risk groups based on the number of adverse factors present. The OMS curves of the three groups were all significantly different (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Severl prognostic factors were found to be associated with worse outcomes. According to the number of adverse factors present, bone-only metastasis patients can be stratified into three risk groups with significantly different prognoses. Such grouping may help in improving the design of clinical trials and in guiding individualized treatment for NPC patients with bone-only metastasis.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Bone Neoplasms/mortality , Combined Modality Therapy , Multivariate Analysis , Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/mortality , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Survival RateABSTRACT
Background and purpose:Currently, subjective questionaire is the most frequently used methods to evaluate swallowing dysfunctions after radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, while lacking of effective objective examinations. This study aimed to explore effective methods to evaluate swallowing dysfunctions after radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, and gain knowledge of the incidence and severity of swallowing dysfunctions. Methods: From Oct. 2013 to Dec. 2013, 128 consecutive outpatients with previously treated nasopharyngeal carcinoma received esophageal barium lfuoroscopy examination at there regularly follow-ups to evaluate swallowing function. Among these patients, 89 were primary treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and 39 with conventional radiotherapy (CRT). In this study, each patient received esophageal barium lfuoroscopy examination for 3 times with thin, thick and pasty barium and were dynamically observed using X-ray fluoroscopy from front and lateral direction. Swallowing dysfunctions were defined as follows:①The bolus could not be swallowed and blocked in the mouth;②The dilute barium diverted to the glottis or trachea;③Residual barium delayed in the pyriform sinus and vallecula;④The movement of the hyoid bone or epiglottis were restricted;⑤Bolus prolong through the pharynx;⑥Barium slowed down when went though the esophageal entrance. Results:Of the 128 patients, incidence of dysphagia was 60.2%for the entire cohort, 52.8%for IMRT group and 76.9%for CRT group. Incidence of dysphagia for IMRT group was signiifcantly lower than CRT group (P=0.018). Dysphagia incidence within 1 year, 1 to 2 years and more than 2 years after RT were 63.1%, 33.3%and 69.0%, respectively (P=0.019). Conclusion:There was a high incidence of swallowing dysfunction for the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with radiotherapy and dysphagia incidence decreased when treated with IMRT. Esophageal barium lfuoroscopy examination is objective method to evaluate the incidence and severity of the swallowing dysfunction.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical typing of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in patients treated by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 333 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were initially treated in our hospital from 2003 to 2006 ;they had no distant metastasis and received IMRT.These patients were divided into 4 clinical types according to their prognosis:type Ⅰ (without local-regional recurrence and without distant metastasis),type Ⅱ (with local-regional recurrence and without distant metastasis),type Ⅲ (without local-regional recurrence and with distant metastasis),and type Ⅳ (with local-regional recurrence and with distant metastasis).Results Of all the patients,70.0％ (233) were of type Ⅰ,12.9％ (43) of type Ⅱ,16.5％ (55) of type Ⅲ,and 0.6％ (2) of type Ⅳ.Of 57 patients with stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ nasophayngeal carcinoma,86％ (49) were of type Ⅰ,11％ (6) of type Ⅱ,4％ (2) of type Ⅲ,and 0％ (0) of type Ⅳ,and of 276 patients with stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ nasopharyngeal carcinoma,66.7％ (184) were of type Ⅰ,13.4％ (37) of type Ⅱ,19.2％ (53) of type Ⅲ,and 0.7％ (2) of type Ⅳ,with significant differences between the two patient groups (P =0.007).Of the 69 patients who received IMRT alone,80％ (55) were of type Ⅰ,12％ (8) of type Ⅱ,9％(6) of type Ⅲ,and 0％ (0) of type Ⅳ; of the 218 patients who received IMRT combined with neoadjuvant plus concurrent chemotherapy,68.8％ (150) were of type Ⅰ,13.8％ (30) of type Ⅱ,16.5％(36) of type Ⅲ,and 0.9％ (2) of type Ⅳ; of the 46 patients who received IMRT combined with neoadjuvant plus adjuvant chemotherapy,61％ (28) were of type Ⅰ,11％ (5) of type Ⅱ,28％ (13) of type Ⅲ,and 0％ (0) of type Ⅳ.Conclusions In patients with early and advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma,type Ⅰ is the most common,and type Ⅳ is the least common;type Ⅱ is more frequent than type Ⅲ in early patients,while type Ⅲ is more frequent than type Ⅱ in advanced patients.The percentage of type Ⅰ patients increases,while that of type Ⅱ-Ⅳ patients decreases,as compared with the data of those treated by conventional radiotherapy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the dosimetric characteristics of hippocampal formation (HF) in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods Fifty-nine NPC patients underwent IMRT.Simultaneous integrated boost technology was used to determine the doses for the target areas.The dose ranges of the HF were collected by dose-volume histogram.The influence of T stage on the exposure doses ( Dmax,Dmean,D20,V10,V20,V30,and V40 ) were compared.Results The maximum dose for the HF (Dmax) ranged from 11.1 to 78.2 Gy(F =24.2,P ＜0.05) and the Dmean ranged from 3.2 to 44.6 Gy ( F =16.3,P ＜ 0.05 ).The Dmax and Dmean of the T1-2 stage patients were (40.8 ±9.4) Gy and ( 12.5 ±5.1 ) Gy,respectively,both significantly lower than those of the T3-4 stage patients [ (58.6± 14.8) Gy,(20.9± 9.3 ) Gy].The mean exposed volume of the T4 stage patients was significantly larger than that of the T1 and T2 stages patients.Conclusions In the IMRT of NPC,the HF receives rather high irradiation dose.T stage is the main factor influencing the dose,especially T3 and T4 stages deserve serious attention.
ABSTRACT
Objective To measure the set-up errors of patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer during the image guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment and analyze the impact of setup errors on dose distribution ; then to further investigate the necessity of adjustment online for H&N cancer during IMRT treatment.Methods Cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanning of thirty patients with H&N cancer were acquired by once weekly with a total of 6 times during IMRT treatment.The CBCT images and the original planning CT images were matched by the bony structure and worked out the translational errors of the x,y,z axis,as well as rotational errors.The dose distributions were recalculated based on the data of each setup error.The dose of planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk were calculated in the replanning,and than compared with the original plan by paired t-test.Results The mean value of x,y,z axis translational set-up errors were ( 1.06 ± 0.95 ) mm,( 0.95 ± 0.77 ) mm and ( 1.31 ± 1.07 ) mm,respectively.The rotational error of x,y,z axis were ( 1.04 ±0.791 ),( 1.06 ±0.89) and (0.81 ±0.61 ),respectively.PTV 95％ volume dose ( D95 ) and PTV minimal dose of replanning for 6 times set-up were lower than original plan (6526.6 cGy:6630.3 cGy,t =3.98,P =0.000 and 5632.6 cGy:5792.5 cGy,t =- 2.89,P =0.007).Brain stem received 45 Gydose volume ( V45 ) and 1％ brain stem volume dose ( D01 )were higher than original plan ( 3.54％:2.75％,t =3.84,P =0.001 and 5129.7 cGy:4919.3 cGy,t =4.36,P =0.000).Conclusions The set-up errors led to the dose of PTV D95 obviously insufficient and significantly increased V45,D01 of the brainstem.So,adjustment online is necessary for H&N cancer during IMRT treatment.
ABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the long-term efficacy,prognostic factors and radiation sequela of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)treated with radiotherapy at the end of last century.Methods From January 1995 to December 1998,1706 newly diagnosed NPC patients treated with radiotherapy were included in the retrospective clinical analysis.There were 1081 patients treated with radiotherapy alone,625 with two to three circles of chemotherapy(5-Fu and DDP)before radiotherapy,23 with thermotherapy during radiotherapy and 162 with braehytherapy by 192Ir after external beam radiation.Results The 5-year overall survival. local control survival and disease-free survival rates were 67.60%.84.20%and 64.22%.respectively.The 5-year survival of patients with stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲand Ⅳ(the Fuzhou Staging,1992)were 100%,75.93%,66.47%and 49.34%.respectively.Cox regression analysis showed that the TNM classification,radiotherapy discontinuance,chemotherapy,sex,age and anemia before radiotherapy were the significant factors of survival.Conclusions Our experience shows that the main factors for the long term survival of NPC patients after radiotherapy are early TNM stage,young age,female,non-anemia before radiotherapy, radiotherapy continuance and chemotherapy.