• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.306-316
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• 2017

Purpose: To investigate the predictive role of maximum standardized uptake value ($SUV_{max}$) of 2-[$^{18}F$]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose($^{18}F-FDG$) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Materials and Methods: Between October 2006 and April 2016, 53 patients were treated with IMRT in two institutions and their PET/CT at the time of diagnosis was reviewed. The $SUV_{max}$ of their nasopharyngeal lesions and metastatic lymph nodes (LN) was recorded. IMRT was delivered using helical tomotherapy. All patients except for one were treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). Correlations between $SUV_{max}$ and patients' survival and recurrence were analyzed. Results: At a median follow-up time of 31.5 months (range, 3.4 to 98.7 months), the 3-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 83.2% and 77.5%, respectively. In univariate analysis, patients with a higher nodal pre-treatment $SUV_{max}$ (${\geq}13.4$) demonstrated significantly lower 3-year OS (93.1% vs. 55.5%; p = 0.003), DFS (92.7% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.001), locoregional recurrence-free survival (100% vs. 50.5%; p < 0.001), and distant metastasis-free survival (100% vs. 69.2%; p = 0.004), respectively. In multivariate analysis, high pre-treatment nodal $SUV_{max}$ (${\geq}13.4$) was a negative prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 7.799; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.506-40.397; p = 0.014) and DFS (HR, 9.392; 95% CI, 1.989-44.339; p = 0.005). Conclusions: High pre-treatment nodal $SUV_{max}$ was an independent prognosticator of survival and disease progression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with IMRT in our cohort. Therefore, nodal $SUV_{max}$ may provide important information for identifying patients who require more aggressive treatment.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.172-176
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• 2000

Objectives: To improve local control and reduce toxicity, 3-D conformal radiotherapy was used as a boost the primary tumor site following fractionated radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Eight patients with previously untreated nasopharyngeal carcinomas were treated with 3-D conformal radiotherapy following fractionated radiotherapy from September 1998 to April 2000. All patients had biopsy confirmation of disease before radiation therapy. Stages were II in 1, III in 5, and IV in 2. Two patients received cisplatin based chemotherapy in addition to radiation therapy; induction chemotherapy in 1, concurrent chemoradiation in 1. 3-D conformal radiotherapy delivered using 6MV Linac as a boost(range 25.2-28.8Gy, median 25.7Gy) following conventionally fractionated radiotherapy(range 50.4Gy). Average total dose ranged from 75.6-79.2Gy(median 76Gy). Follow-up time was 4-21 months(median 9.6 months). Results: Seven of 8 patients were evaluated radiologically within 3 months after completion of radiation therapy. All 7 patients were seen complete remission. One of 7 patients had distant metastasis after 5 months and local failure after 7 months. The tree interval of local recurrence was ranged from 4 - 21 months(median 10.2 months). One patient without radiological evaluation got complete remission clinically. Treatment related toxicity was grade 1-3 xerostomia, dysphagia, and mucositis. During 3-D conformal radiotherapy, there was no aggravation of any toxicity. Conclusion: Although the number of patients was small and follow-up period was short, 3-D conformal radiotherapy following conventional radiotherapy improved tumor control and dose escalation without increased toxicity. Survival and late toxicity should be evaluated through long term follow-up. In addition, it is necessary to confirm the benefits of 3-D conformal radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma with randomized trial.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.312-320
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• 1992

Radiotherapeutically, nasopharyngeal cancer is an important disease in korea. Because of its blind anatomic location, early detection is relatively uncommon. Clinically, most of cases are locally advanced and nodal involvement are common. Recently better understanding of nature of the disease and improvement of radio-therapy technique permit better treatment results, including locoregional control and survival rate, and minimal normal tissue damages comparing with previously published data. We analyzed 31 patients of pathologically proven and previously untreated naso-pharyngeal carcinoma with different treatment techniques, retrospectively. Minimal and maximal follow up period of the survuor is 6 months and 68 months, respectively. Thirteen patients with squamous cell carcinoma are included in this analysis. The median age is 49 years(range from 20 to 64 years). Twenty two patients are stage III. Eleven patients are treated with radiotherapy alone and 20 are treated with comblined modalities treatment. The degree of responses after radiotherapy are categorized by 3-classes, i.e. complete response, partial response. In spite of simioarities of complete response rate and 1-year survival rate between two different treatment techniques, those patients with undifferentiated carcinoma appear to benefit from the adjuvant chemotherapy. In addition, systemic failure is more prominant in radiotherapy alone group than in combined modalities treatment group. These results suggest that adjuvant therapy in the radiotherapeutic management of nasopharyngeal cancers needs additional research according to histologic types and future extensive clinical trials.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7569-7576
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this article is to present preliminary results of simultaneous boost irradiation radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Fifty-eight patients who underwent simultaneous boost irradiation radiotherapy for NPC in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University between September 2004 and December 2009 were eligible. Acute and late toxicities were scored weekly according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) acute and late radiation morbidity scoring schemes. An especial focus was on evidence of post-radiation brain injury. Also quality of life was analysed according to the EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) recommendations. Discrete variables were compared by ${\chi}^2$ test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rates and generate survival curves. Results: A total of 58 patients with a mean follow-up time of 36 months completed clinical trials.Fifty-seven patients (98.3) achieved complete remission in the primary sites and cervical lymph nodes, with only one patient (1.7%) showing partial remission.The most frequently observed acute toxicities during the concurrent chemoradiotherapy were mucositis and leucopenia. Four patients (6.9%) had RTOG grade 3 mucositis, whereas four patients (6.9%) had grade 3 leucopenia. No patient had grade 4 acute toxicity. Three (5.17%) of the patients exhibited injury to the brain on routine MRI examination, with a median observation of 32 months (range, 25-42months). All of them were RTOG grade 0. The 3-year overall, regional-free and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 85%, 94% and 91%, respectively. Conclusion: Simultaneous boost irradiation radiotherapy is feasible in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The results showed excellent local control and overall survival, with no significant increase the incidence of radiation brain injury or the extent of damage. A larger population of patients and a longer follow-up period are needed to evaluate ultimate tumor control and late toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6129-6132
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• 2012

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of simultaneous accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) and concurrent weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: Forty-one patients with pathologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated by SMART with concurrent weekly paclitaxel. Daily fraction doses of 2.5 Gy and 2.0 Gy were prescribed to the gross tumor volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) to a total dose of 70 Gy and 56 Gy, respectively. Paclitaxel of $45mg/m^2$ was administered concurrently with radiation therapy every week. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given four weeks after the completion of the radiotherapy (RT) if the tumor demonstrated only a partial response (PR). Results: All patients completed the radiotherapy (RT) course. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 12 patients due to PR. The CR (complete remission) rate was 82.9% three months after RT. Thirty-nine (95.1%) patients completed the concurrent weekly chemotherapy with paclitaxel, and two patients skipped their sixth course. Seven patients had a 15% dosage reduction at the fifth and sixth course due to grade 3 mucositis. The median follow-up was 30 (range, 14-42) months. The three-year overall survival (OS), metastases-free survival (MFS), and local control rates were 77.0%, 64.4%, and 97.6%, respectively. No correlation between survival rate and T or N stage was observed. Grade 3 acute mucositis and xerostomia were present in 17.1% and 7.1%, respectively. Conclusion: SMART with concurrent weekly paclitaxel is a potentially effective and toxicity tolerable approach in the treatment of locally advanced NPC.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2002

Objective: To determine the effectiveness and toxicity of chemoradiation therapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by comparing with radiation therapy alone. Materials and Methods: Between October 1989 and July 2000, One hundred eleven patients with newly diagnosed and histologically proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-five patients were treated with radiation therapy alone (Group I) and 66 patients were treated with radiation therapy and concurrent cisplatin (Group II). Cisplatin was administered once a week, on the first day of each successive week of treatment, starting on day 1 of radiation therapy and given as a intravenous bolus at a dose of $20mg/m^2$ of body-surface area. Radiation therapy was given in doses of 1.8Gy, once a day, 5 days per week with 4MV or 6 MV photons. Initial field was received a total of 60Gy and a primary tumor and enlarged lymph nodes were boosted with an high dose intracavitory brachytherapy and 3D conformal therapy. Results: The complete response rate was 86.7% in Group I, and was 90.9% in Group II. The 5 year overall survival rate for Group I was 60% and for Group II was 45% (p=0.2520). The 5 year disease free survival rate was 52% versus 45%, respectively (p=0.7507). The median follow up was 44 months versus 34 months, respectively. Conclusion: Analysis of the III patients showed no significant difference in disease free survival and overall survival in two treatment group. This retrospective analysis did not demonstrate benefit with concurrent chemoradiation using cisplatin at a dose of $20mg/m^2$ of body-surface area in treatment result than radiation alone.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.10-15
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• 2001

Purpose : This is a retrospective study to evaluate the results of radiation therapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods : From September 1989 to October 1996, 19 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma completed planned radiation therapy course. Stages were 1 in 2 patients, II in 6, III in 2 IV in 9 patients, respectively. Pathology was squamous cell carcinoma in 5 patients, undifferentiated cell carcinoma in 14 patients. Fourteen patients were treated with radiation therapy only. Five patients received chemotherapy. The follow-up period ranged from 5 months to 115 months with a median of 33 months. Follow-up was possible in all patients. Results : Responses to radiation therapy were complete response in 15 patients, partial response in 2, and no response in 2, respectively. Patterns of failure were as follows : locoregional recurrence in 6 patients and distant metastasis in 4 patients. The sites of distant metastasis were bone, liver and lung. Five year survival rate was $47.8\%$ and five year disease free survival rate was $48.1\%$. Stage, T-stage, N-stage, central nervous system involvement, pathology type, performance status, response, radiation dose, chemotherapy were not significant prognostic factors. Conclusion : 5-year survival rate was $47.8\%$ and 5-year disease free survival rate was $48.1\%$. The advances in radiation therapy techniques and chemotherapy are needed.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2003

Purpose: To introduce our early experience with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods and Materials: Eight patients who underwent IMRT for no disseminated nasopharyngeal carcinoma at the Asan Medical Center between September 2001 and November 2002 were evaluate by prospective analysis. According to the 1997 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging classification, 5 had Stage III, and 3 had Stage IVB disease. The IMRT plans were designed to be delivered as a 'Simultaneous Modulated Accelerated Radiation Therapy' (SMART) using the 'step and shoot' technique with a MLC (multileaf collimator). Daily fractions of 2.2-2.5Gy and 1.9-2Gy were prescribed and delivered to the GTV and CTV and clinically negative neck node, respectively. The prescribed dose was 70A-79.0Gy to the gross tumor volume (GTV), 60Gy to the clinical target volume (CTV) and metastatic nodal station, and 46Gy to the clinically negative neck. All patients also received weekly cisplatin during radiotherapy. Acute and late normal tissue effects were graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) radiation morbidity scoring criteria. Results: Follow-up period was ranging from 5 to 18 months. All patients showed complete response and loco-regional control rate was 100% but one patient died of malnutrition due to treatment related toxicity. There were no Grade 3 or 4 xerostomia and all patients had experienced improvement of salivary gland function. Conclusion: 'Simultaneous Modulated Accelerated Radiation Therapy' (SMART) boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy technique allows parotid sparing as evidenced both clinically and by dosimetry. Initial tumor response and loco-regional control was promising. It is clinically feasible. A larger population of patients and a long-term follow-up are needed to evaluate ultimate tumor control and late toxicity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4447-4450
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• 2015

Background: Nasopharyngeal cancer is a disease with distinct ethnic and geographical distribution. The aim of this review was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of nasopharyngeal cancer in Iran from 2004 to 2009 because no systematic study has been performed to evaluate the trends of its incidence yet. Materials and Methods: The data were derived from the databases of the National Cancer Data System Registry in the period of 2004-2009. Nasopharyngeal cancers were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology. Incidence rates and trends were calculated and evaluated by gender, age decade, and histopathology types. Results: A total of 1,637 nasopharyngeal cancers were registered in Iran from 2004 to 2009 giving an incidence of 0.38 per 100,000. The male-to-female ratio was 2.08:1. The trend of incidence was found to have increased, with a significant increase observed in males. Undifferentiated carcinoma was the most common histopathology type in all the age decades. Conclusions: Because the incidence of nasopharyngeal cancers in Iran has increased, especially in males, further studies are recommended for understanding of the etiological factors involved in the rise of the disease.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 2003

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of positron emission tomography with 2-[F-18] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose in discrimination of response in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who treated with radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Twenty-four patients who underwent FDG-PET scan before and after radiotherapy for no disseminated head and neck carcinoma at the Asan Medical Center between August 2001 and September 2002 were evaluate by prospective analysis. First FDG-PET scan performed before radiotherapy within 1 month, and second FDG-PET scan performed 1 month after radiotherapy. FDG-PET images were analyzed by standard uptake value (SUV). Follow-up period was more than 6 months. Results: The pretreatment SUV was 3.4-14.0 (median: 6.0) and posttreatment SUV was ground level-7.7 (median: 2.0). The overall sensitivity and specicity of FDG-PET to evaluate residual tumors in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were 94% and 94%. Conclusion: FDG-PET is effective in evaluation of radiation response in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We think that the timing of one month after finished radiotherapy FDG-PET scan was not too fast to evaluation of radiation response.