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  • Title: Dose escalation for patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy alone.
    Author: Yeh SA, Huang YJ.
    Journal: Am J Clin Oncol; 2007 Aug; 30(4):401-5. PubMed ID: 17762441.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: The local control of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma is still unsatisfactory. This prospective study was designed to evaluate the treatment outcomes and treatment-related complications of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with escalated radiation doses. METHODS: A total of 118 consecutive patients with T4 classification (1992 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system), histology-proven nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy alone between 1992 and 1997 in a medical center in southern Taiwan. Thirty-two of them were enrolled into a prospective study of dose escalation and were irradiated to a total of 81 Gy. The other 86 patients received a total of 70.2 Gy. Potentially significant patient-related and treatment-related parameters were analyzed for their prognostic significance. Radiation-related complications were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: The 5-year local progression-free rates were 61%, and 61% for patients receiving 70.2 Gy and 81 Gy, respectively (P > 0.05). The incidences of xerostomia, hearing impairment, and temporal radionecrosis were significantly higher for those receiving 81 Gy. The 5-year complication-free rates of patients receiving 70.2 Gy and 81 Gy were 14% versus 2% for xerostomia (P = 0.0070), 50% versus 30% for hearing impairment (P = 0.0198), and 91% versus 82% for temporal radionecrosis (P = 0.0400). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy alone, dose escalation to 81 Gy failed to show benefits on local control rate. Higher radiation doses contribute to a higher incidence of radiation-related complications.
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