Nasopharyngeal hemorrhage after radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the incidence of nasopharyngeal hemorrhage after radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in order to adjust adequately the dose of fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (FSRS). Methods Eighteen NPC patients were treated by FSRS following conventional radiotherapy of D T65～74?Gy. Of them, 5 patients (T 4) with uncontrolled lesions received a boost dose of 24～40?Gy/6～8 f and 13 patients (T 2～3 ) with local recurrence received their second course of treatment with different regimens. Group A: 8 patients received routine radiotherapy 30～40?Gy followed by FSRS 24～30?Gy/6～9 f; Group B: 5 patients received FSRS 40～42?Gy/6～8 f alone. Results The frequency of nasopharyngeal hemorrhage was 3/5 for skull base invasion (T 4 ) lesions. The incidence of morbidity for re radiation after local recurrence of T 2～3 tumor was 1/8 in Group A and 1/5 in Group B.Conclusions The frequency of nasopharyngeal hemorrhage is high in skull base invasion by NPC (T 4).Therefore the dose of FSRS combined with conventional radiotherapy should be limited when re treating local recurrence of NPC.