Feasibility of Selective Neck Irradiation with Lower Elective Radiation Dose in Treating Nasopharynx Cancer Patients
- Author:
Won Kyung CHO
1
;
Dongryul OH
;
Eonju LEE
;
Tae Gyu KIM
;
Hyebin LEE
;
Heerim NAM
;
Jae Myoung NOH
;
Yong Chan AHN
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Lymphatic irradiation; Radiotherapy
- MeSH: Disease-Free Survival; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Lymphatic Irradiation; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms; Nasopharynx; Neck; Radiotherapy; Retrospective Studies; Tumor Burden
- From:Cancer Research and Treatment 2019;51(2):603-610
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: PURPOSE: This study aimed to report the clinical outcomes following selective neck irradiation (SNI) with lower elective radiation therapy (RT) dose in treating nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 347 NPC patients received definitive RT according to our SNI policy and were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical target volumes (CTVs) were subdivided into CTV at high risk (CTV-HR) and CTV at low risk (CTV-LR). The typical doses to gross tumor volume (GTV), CTV-HR, and CTV-LR were 68.4-70.0 Gy, 54.0-60.0 Gy, and 36.0 Gy. RESULTS: With the median follow-up of 68.1 months (range, 2.3 to 197.1 months), the 5-year rates of loco-regional control and progression-free survival in all the patients were 85.0% and 70.8%, respectively. Thirty patients developed regional failure and the regional control rates at 3 and 5 years were 92.6% and 91.4%, respectively. The sites of regional failure in relation to the target volume were exclusively inside GTV/CTV-HR in 20, inside and outside GTV/CTVHR in three, and exclusively outside GTV/CTV-HR in seven, which were 5.7%, 0.9%, and 2.0% of total patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: The clinical outcomes by the current SNI policy were feasible and comparable to those following classic elective nodal irradiation policy.
