Treatment results of 1070 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an analysis of survival and failure patterns

BACKGROUND: The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the outcomes of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated primarily by external beam irradiation (ERT) and to explore for possible ways to improve the treatment results. METHODS: One thousand seventy patients with nonmetastatic NPC treated from 1990 to 1998 were retrospectively analyzed. The distribution according to the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) (1997 edition) staging system at initial diagnosis was as follows: stage I, n = 113; stage IIA, n = 38; stage IIB, n = 360; stage III, n = 306; stage IVA, n = 136; stage IVB, n = 117; T1, n = 284; T2a, n = 88; T2b, n = 398; T3, n = 149; T4, n = 151; N0, n = 321; N1, n = 393; N2, n = 238; N3a, n = 29; N3b, n = 89. Two hundred eight patients were given neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Ninety-seven patients were diagnosed with locally persistent disease and were salvaged with high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy. Multivariate analysis was performed with the Cox regression proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The 5-year actuarial local failure-free survival, regional failure-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival rates were 80.9%, 93.3%, 77.2%, 62.7%, 71.4%, and 66.5%, respectively. Isolated distant metastasis occurred in 191 patients (18%). The distributions were as follow: stage I, 2.1% (two of 95); stage IIA, 5.7% (two of 35); stage IIB, 14.9% (45 of 302); stage III, 26.4% (62 of 235); stage IVA, 40% (40 of 100); stage IVB, 47.1% (40 of 85). Results of the multivariate analysis of various clinical endpoints were discussed. By studying these failure patterns, it is hoped that we could refine future treatments according to the failure patterns of patients with different risks of locoregional and distant failure. CONCLUSIONS: The 18% incidence of isolated distant metastasis is too high to be ignored. Maximizing the local control and minimizing the risk of distant metastasis and late complications should be the key objectives in designing future clinical trials.     

Chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy in patients with locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Treatment of locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is challenging because of prior radiotherapy, morbidities from disease recurrence, and limited therapeutic options available. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with locoregionally recurrent NPC. RESULT: Between March 1994 and December 1999, there were 42 patients; most were Chinese (98%) men (81%) with undifferentiated NPC (86%). A repeat course of radiotherapy was feasible in 20 patients and given concurrently with cisplatin followed by adjuvant cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (PF) (group 1). The remaining 22 (group 2) received palliative chemotherapy (PF) with a response rate of 50%. Significant morbidities resulted from cranial nerve palsies. The 2-year progression-free survival of patients in group 1 was expectedly better (58% vs 38%). Six (14%) developed systemic metastases at 12 months (median) from first recurrence. CONCLUSION: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregional recurrent NPC seems promising. The morbidity experienced resulted from locoregional disease with few progressing to develop systemic involvement.     

老年患者原发性肝细胞癌肝切除术后疗效分析

目的 探讨老年原发性肝细胞癌患者行肝切除术后的治疗效果.方法 自1989年1月至2008年12月,共有1 225例原发性肝细胞癌患者于我院行肝切除术,挑选其中年龄≥60岁、有完整临床资料及随访结果的112例患者进行回顾性分析,并随机抽取同期年龄＜60岁的135例患者作对照.结果 老年组患者术后并发症发生率为8.9%(1...     

Treatment of profuse epistaxis in patients irradiated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Profuse epistaxis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) previously treated with radiotherapy (RT) can be life threatening. Surgical means to prevent rebleeding may at times be difficult and unsuccessful. We aim to investigate the characteristics of this group of patients and our experience of endovascular embolization technique in the management of epistaxis in this group of patients. METHODS: A retrospective review of all nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients presented with profuse epistaxis during follow up after radiotherapy was carried out in a regional neurosurgical centre in Hong Kong. Seventeen patients were included for the analysis within the recent 6-year period. The age of patients was 55.5 +/- 8.358 years (mean +/- standard deviation). The sex ratio was 5:1 (M : F). Diagnostic catheter angiography was carried out in all 17 patients. Endovascular embolization was carried out in 11 patients with the joint decision of the otolaryngologist and neurointerventionist in charge . RESULTS: Four patients underwent main trunk occlusion for internal carotid pseudoaneurysm. Seven patients underwent embolization of branches of external carotid artery. One patient required another session of external carotid artery embolization 1 month later. There was one inpatient death because of pneumonia and hepatic encephalopathy. With our protocol, there were only two patients (11.7%) with delayed rebleed at 2 and 5 months, respectively. Both patients had advanced diseases and died. CONCLUSION: In irradiated patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma presenting with profuse epistaxis, angiography had a high yield of pseudoaneurysm or hypervascularity and these lesions could be safely managed through endovascular embolization.     

Clinically underdetected asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenosis as a late complication of radiotherapy in Chinese nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery stenosis is a late complication of radiotherapy to the neck region. This complication has, however, a significant impact with increased risk of stroke causing mortality and morbidity. Clinicians' awareness of this complication and early detection is therefore important. METHODS: Eighty patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) who had received radiotherapy were recruited for color Doppler ultrasonography of the carotid arteries. fifty-eight patients with newly diagnosed NPC who had never received any radiotherapy were recruited as controls. All patients with significant carotid stenosis were referred to the neurology clinic for further assessment. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were found to have more than 50% diameter reduction in the extracranial carotid artery. Clinical assessment by a neurologist showed 9 of 24 patients had a history of transient ischemic attack, amaurosis fugax, or stroke. Seven of these patients had clinically detectable neck bruit. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians attending to patients after radiotherapy for head and neck cancers should be aware of this long-term complication of radiotherapy. A detailed clinical history and incorporation of auscultation of carotid arteries in routine follow-up of postradiotherapy patients are recommended.     

食物辅助锻炼对鼻咽癌放化疗患者康复的作用

目的探讨食物辅助锻炼对促进鼻咽癌放化疗患者康复的可行性及有效性。方法将100例鼻咽癌放化疗患者按病房分为对照组和观察组各50例。对照组采用常规的9步鼻咽操锻练,观察组在此基础上增加食物辅助锻炼。结果放化疗治疗期间观察组口腔黏膜炎显著轻于对照组,放化疗后1年观察组张口困难程度显著低于对照组（均P〈0.01）。结论鼻咽癌放化疗患者行鼻咽操锻炼结合食物辅助锻炼,可减轻口腔黏膜炎和张口受限程度。