Selectively recommend 18F-FDG PET/CT for patients with de novo nasopharyngeal carcinoma in endemic areas.

INTRODUCTION: To identify the subset of patients with de novo nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) for whom [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) should be recommended, and to determine whether PET/CT is a cost-effective decision for precise M staging in endemic areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data of 4469 patients diagnosed with de novo NPC between January 2014 and December 2019. The detection rate of distant metastasis was compared between different groups. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the risk factors for distant metastasis. The cost-effectiveness of the diagnostic strategies was assessed. RESULTS: The detection rate of distant metastasis in the whole cohort was 5.46%. In multivariate analysis, male sex, T3-4 stage, N2-3 stage, and high plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA (≥ 14,650 copies/mL) were risk factors for distant metastases. NPC patients with T3-4 stage combined with N2-3 stage, high EBV DNA combined with male sex, or N2-3 stage combined with high EBV DNA were defined as recommended group with relatively higher tendency for metastasis. Distant metastasis incidence in recommended group and unrecommended group were 10.25% and 1.75%, respectively (P < 0.001). In the recommended group, PET/CT significantly improved the detection rate of distant metastasis (13.25% vs 9.02%, P = 0.005). Cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that additional cost for every one percent increase in distant metastasis detection rate was $22,785.58 in the recommended group (< Willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $32,700.00) and $310,912.90 in the unrecommended group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with de novo NPC, the tendency for metastasis can be predicted based on clinical parameters. 18F-FDG PET/CT should be selectively recommended for the subset of patients with a relatively higher tendency for metastasis.

Significance of boost dose for T4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma with residual primary lesion after intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed poorer survival in T4 disease with residual lesion. To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a boost dose for T4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), patients with a residual primary lesion after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). METHODS: 398 T4 NPC patients with residual primary lesions after radical IMRT were retrospectively reviewed. An IMRT boost dose of 4-6.75 Gy was delivered to the residual lesions in 2-3 fractions. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance potential confounders between groups (ratio, 1:2). The presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in plasma after IMRT was used for risk stratification. RESULTS: Patients who received boost radiation had significantly improved overall survival (OS) and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) compared with those who did not (all P < 0.05). In the matched cohort, 3-year OS was 86.6% in the boost radiation group and 72.7% in the non-boost group (P = 0.022). Three-year LRFS was 93.4% in the boost radiation group and 83.5% in the non-boost group (P = 0.022). In the subgroup analysis, boost dose was shown to significantly improve 3-year OS (88.0% vs. 74.1%, P = 0.021) in the low-risk group (with undetectable plasma EBV DNA after IMRT). The administration of a boost dose also improved 3-year OS in the high-risk group (with detectable plasma EBV DNA after IMRT) (66.7% vs. 60.0%, P = 0.375). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that boost dose was the only protective prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: The addition of a boost dose for T4 NPC patients with residual primary lesion after radical IMRT provides satisfactory tumor control and clinical benefit. Additional timely and effective strengthening treatments are recommended for patients with detectable levels of plasma EBV DNA after radiotherapy.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analysis of nimotuzumab for the radiotherapy of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of nimotuzumab in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). METHODS: LA-NPC patients treated between October 2013 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. A well-balanced cohort of patients who received nimotuzumab in addition to standard treatment (n = 50) and patients who did not receive nimotuzumab (n = 100) was selected using propensity score-matching method (1:2 ratio) for the cost-effectiveness analysis. RESULTS: Compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) alone, addition of nimotuzumab to CCRT significantly improved the 3-year overall survival (OS) (98.00% vs. 91.00%, P = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, nimotuzumab (hazard ratio = 0.124, 95% confidence interval: 0.017-0.902, P = 0.039) showed prognostic significance for OS. No serious treatment-related adverse events were observed in the nimotuzumab group (P > 0.05). Cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that addition of nimotuzumab increased the average treatment costs by $14,364.63. The additional cost for every one percent increase in OS rate was $ 2,052.09. CONCLUSION: Addition of nimotuzumab to CCRT for LA-NPC confers significant survival benefits; however, it is not cost-effective.

Effect of relevant factors on radiation-induced nasopharyngeal ulcer in patients with primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between relevant factors and radiation-induced nasopharyngeal ulcer (RINU) in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). METHODS: Clinical data were collected for 599 patients with newly diagnosed NPC who had completed IMRT. The entire cohort was randomly divided into two subgroups. The relationship between RINU and IMRT dose-volume were statistically analyzed with ROC curves and the Chi-square test. Nutritional status during and after treatment was compared between patients with vs without RINU. RESULTS: The results obtained showed that dose-volume had no effect on the incidence of RINU (P > .05). Nutrition-related parameters differed significantly between patients with vs without RINU (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The results obtained show that the incidence of RINU is not related to IMRT dose-volume in the treatment of primary NPC. The incidence of RINU was found to be related to nutritional status during and after radiation therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2a.

Selection of a high-level physician may help improve outcomes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To assess the relationship between the level of clinical radiation oncologist and the prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). To our knowledge, no previous study has explicitly assessed the relationship with cancer prognosis and clinical radiation oncologists level. The effect of physicians on the prognosis has been entirely ignored. METHODS: Clinical data were collected for 1140 patients with newly diagnosed NPC. Based on the 3-year overall survival, the treating physicians were classified into 3 grades: high-level group, medium-level group, and low-level group. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess the independent significance of different prognostic factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize the influence of confounders so that difference in outcomes provides an unbiased estimate of the influence of physician. Interactive Risk Attributable Program (IRAP) was used to calculate the attribution risk of individual risk factors or a combination of multiple factors. RESULTS: The 3-year OS in the high-level, medium-level, and low-level groups was 92.9%, 87.7%, and 83.5%, respectively (p = 0.003). After propensity score matching, the 3-year OS was 92.4%, 87.4%, and 82.9%, respectively (p = 0.004). IRAP was used to calculate the attribution risk of mortality risk. After multivariable adjustment, patient-related factors including tumor accounted for 90.02% [95% confidence interval (CI), 73.43-96.84%) and physician factors accounted for 17.66% (95% CI, 5.39-44.65%) of the mortalityrisk. All related factors, including patient-related factors and physician factors accounted for 92.02% (95% CI, 77.83-97.43%). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated obvious differences in the prognosis of patients treated by various clinical radiation oncologists. The largest share of prognosis risk was found to be at the patient level, while variation in prognosis was, in part, attributable to differences among physicians.

Metabolic tumor volume and conformal radiotherapy based on prognostic PET/CT for treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

For patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), prognostic indicators to customize subsequent biologically conformal radiation therapy may be obtained via 2-(fluorine-18)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). This retrospective study assessed the prognostic significance and feasibility of conformal radiotherapy for NPC, based on F-FDG PET/CT. Eighty-two patients with NPC underwent F-FDG PET/CT prior to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of the primary tumor were measured, with MTVx based on absolute SUVx values ≥ specific threshold x on each axial image. The cut-off SUVmax and MTV values for predicting 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated according to a receiver operating characteristic curve. Assessed were correlations between SUVmax and MTV and between threshold x and MTVx, and the MTV percentage of the primary tumor volume at threshold x. The SUVmax and MTV were positively associated, as were MTV and primary tumor volume. Primary tumor volume, SUVmax, and MTV were significant predictors of survival. The 3-year PFS rates for SUVmax ≤8.20 and >8.20 were 91.1% and 73.0%, respectively (P = .027). With furthermore analysis, patients having tumor with smaller MTV had higher 3-year PFS than patients having tumor with larger MTV. The 3-year PFS rate was inversely related to MTV. SUVmax and MTV, derived by PET/CT, are important for assessing prognosis and planning radiotherapy for patients with NPC. Small MTV indicated better 3-year PFS compared with large MTV. For the best therapeutic effect, MTV4.0 was the best subvolume to determine radiotherapy boost.

Experience of weekly cisplatin concurrent with intensity-modulated radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly sensitive to radiotherapy. Locally advanced NPC has a relatively poor prognosis if treated with radiotherapy alone. Several studies have demonstrated that chemoradiotherapy confers survival benefit in locally advanced NPC. However, a small proportion of patients are resistant to chemotherapy based on cisplatin. So, it is important to make a valuable and inexpensive schedule for these patients. After 2 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy that consisted of gemcitabine and cisplatin (80 mg/m, every 3 weeks) or paclitaxel and cisplatin (80 mg/m, every 3 weeks), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate efficacy. A total of 13 patients with extensive nodal disease or/and bulky tumors volume were determined with a stable disease (SD) and enrolled in this study. Cisplatin at a dose of 30 mg/m administered weekly concurrent with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) was used to treat these patients resistant to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The efficacy was evaluated by tumor response and the change of tumor volume. After the completion of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), the overall tumor response was a complete response (CR) for 4 of 13 (30.8%) patients and partial response (PR) for 9 of 13 (69.2%) patients. The mean primary tumor volume was reduced by 59.7% and 89.8% at the 24th fraction of IMRT and after the completion of IMRT, respectively. The mean nodal volume was reduced by 63.8% and 93.5% at the 24th fraction of IMRT and after completion of IMRT, respectively. The study showed that weekly cisplatin concurrent with IMRT improved the treatment parameters for locally advanced NPC with resistance to neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on cisplatin. It was a valuable and relatively inexpensive schedule to improve the prognosis for these patients.