Radiation-induced optic neuropathy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the characteristics of radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RON) in patients with nasopharypgeal carcinoma after radiotherapy,and explore its risk factors.Methods A retrospective study was performed on the clinical data of 22 RON patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy,admitted to our hospital from January 1997 to January 2011.Their clinical manifestations,eye examinations and cranial MRI data were concluded.Results Visual deterioration,or even,blindness,was the most common manifestation.RON occurred after the initial radiotherapy in 18 cases,and during the initial radiotherapy in 2 cases.And 2 cases developed RON in re-irradiation for recurrences.Blindness developed in 8 eyes,and decreased vision occurred in 27 eyes; 14 patients displayed retinal optic nerve atrophy in the eye examinations.Typical radiological imaging of the skull showed optic nerve enlargement in 30 eyes,optic nerve atrophy in 5 eyes; and the incidence of optic neuropathy was high when radiation dose was over 70 Gy.Conclusion RON may occur in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients following radiotherapy,having vision disorders,visual field changes,abnormal visual evoked potential and typical cranial imaging performances; the occurrence of RON may be correlated with radiation field and radiation dose; routine eye and imaging examination is of great significance.