No abstract

No abstract

BackgroundThe current World Health Organization (WHO) classification of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) conveys little prognostic information. This study aimed to propose an NPC histopathologic classification that can potentially be used to predict prognosis and treatment response.MethodsWe initially developed a histopathologic classification based on the morphologic traits and cell differentiation of tumors of 2716 NPC patients who were identified at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) (training cohort). Then, the proposed classification was applied to 1702 patients (retrospective validation cohort) from hospitals outside SYSUCC and 1613 patients (prospective validation cohort) from SYSUCC. The efficacy of radiochemotherapy and radiotherapy modalities was compared between the proposed subtypes. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival (OS).ResultsThe 5-year OS rates for all NPC patients who were diagnosed with epithelial carcinoma (EC; 3708 patients), mixed sarcomatoid-epithelial carcinoma (MSEC; 1247 patients), sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC; 823 patients), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC; 253 patients) were 79.4%, 70.5%, 59.6%, and 42.6%, respectively (P < 0.001). In multivariate models, patients with MSEC had a shorter OS than patients with EC (HR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.27–1.62), SC (HR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.76–2.28), or SCC (HR = 4.23, 95% CI = 3.34–5.38). Radiochemotherapy significantly improved survival compared with radiotherapy alone for patients with EC (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.56–0.80), MSEC (HR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.49–0.75), and possibly for those with SCC (HR = 0.63; 95% CI = 0.40–0.98), but not for patients with SC (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.74–1.28).ConclusionsThe proposed classification offers more information for the prediction of NPC prognosis compared with the WHO classification and might be a valuable tool to guide treatment decisions for subtypes that are associated with a poor prognosis.

Purpose:To evaluate the prognostic value of cervical nodal necrosis (CNN) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Materials and Methods:This was an institutional review board-approved retrospective study of 1800 patients with newly diagnosed stage T1, 4N1, 3M0 NPC who were treated with definitive radiation therapy, with or without chemotherapy, between January 2007 and December 2009; the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. MR images were reviewed to assess lymph node status, and patients were divided into CNN and non-CNN groups. The overall survival, disease-free survival, regional relapse-free survival (RRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were calculated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences were compared by using the log-rank test. Results:The incidence of CNN was 44.0% (792 of 1800). After the median follow-up period of 53 months, the 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival, RRFS, and DMFS rates of the CNN and non-CNN groups were 78.8% and 91.8%, 78.2% and 91.2%, 78.6% and 91.8%, and 78.4% and 91.6%, respectively (for all rates, P , .001). The distant metastasis rate was 18.7% (148 of 792) for the CNN group versus 4.6% (46 of 1008) for the non-CNN group (P , .01). Subgroup analysis revealed similar survival outcomes between stage N1 disease with CNN and stage N2 disease without CNN, stage N2 disease with CNN, and stage N3 disease regardless of CNN. CNN, T stage, N stage, age older than 44 years, and male sex were significant independent negative prognostic factors for overall survival, disease-free survival, RRFS, and DMFS. Conclusion:CNN is an independent negative prognostic factor in patients with NPC, and it may be appropriate to investigate whether N stage should be upgraded by one level in patients with CNN.q RSNA, 2015

Although many studies have investigated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), sample sizes in the reported studies are usually small and different in outcomes in different T and N subgroups are seldom analyzed. Herein, we evaluated the outcomes of NPC patients treated with IMRT and further explored treatment strategy to improve such outcome. We collected clinical data of 865 NPC patients treated with IMRT alone or in combination with chemotherapy, and classified all cases into the following prognostic categories according to different TNM stages: early stage group (T1–2N0–1M0), advanced local disease group (T3–4N0–1M0), advanced nodal disease group (T1–2N2–3M0), and advanced locoregional disease group (T3–4N2–3M0). The 5-year overall survival (OS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) were 83.0%, 90.4%, and 84.0% respectively. The early disease group had the lowest treatment failure rate, with a 5-year OS of 95.6%. The advanced local disease group and advanced nodal disease group had similar failure pattern and treatment outcomes as well as similar hazard ratios for death (4.230 and 4.625, respectively). The advanced locoregional disease group had the highest incidence of relapse and death, with a 5-year DMFS and OS of 62.3% and 62.2%, respectively, and a hazard ratio for death of 10.402. Comparing with IMRT alone, IMRT in combination with chemotherapy provided no significant benefit to locoregionally advanced NPC. Our results suggest that the decision of treatment strategy for NPC patients should consider combinations of T and N stages, and that IMRT alone for early stage NPC patients can produce satisfactory results. However, for advanced local, nodal, and locoregional disease groups, a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is recommended.

BackgroundThe radiation tolerance dose-volume in brain remains unclear for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). We performed this study to investigate dosimetric factors associated with temporal lobe necrosis (TLN) in NPC patients treated with IMRT.MethodsFrom 2001 to 2008, 870 NPC patients were treated with IMRT. For the whole group, 40 patients have developed MRI-diagnosed TLN, and 219 patients were followed-up more than 60 months. Predictive dosimetric factors for TLN were identified by using univariate and multivariate analysis in these 259 patients.ResultsBy univariate analyses, rVX ( percent of temporal lobes receiving ≥ X Gy) and aVX ( absolute volumes of temporal lobes receiving ≥ X Gy, values of X considered were 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 66 and 70) were all significantly associated with TLN. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression showed that rV40 and aV40 were significant factors for TLN. All dosimetric factors in current serials were highly correlated one another (p < 0.001). The 5-year incidence of TLN for rV40 <10% or aV40 <5 cc is less than 5%. The incidence for rV40 ≥ 15% or aV40c ≥ 10c is increased significantly and more than 20%.ConclusionsIn this study, all dosimetric factors were highly correlated, rV40 and aV40 were independent predictive factors for TLN, IMRT with rV40 <10% or aV40 <5 cc in temporal lobe is relatively safe.

The most common interval of relapse is about 2 years. The relapsed disease is usually more widespread and located deeper. Most recurrent NPC is advanced disease.

Prophylactic irradiation to the upper neck (levels II, III, and VA) may be feasible for patients with neck lymph node-negative NPC.