Objective To compare the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for T3-4 N0-1 M0 and T14 N2-3 M0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after induction chemotherapy.Methods From 2002 to 2005,400 patients with stage Ⅲ and Ⅳa NPC were randomly divided into 2 groups :induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy group (IC/CCRT,201 patients),and induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy alone group (IC/RT, 199 patients).Subgroup analysis was conducted for 197 patients with stage T3-4N0-1M0 NPC and 203 with stage T1-4N2-3M0 NPC.Results The follow-up rate were 96.2%, with a median followg-up time of 3.9 years.For T3-4N0-1 M0 NPC patients in IC/CCRT group (104 patients) and IC/RT group (93 patients), the 3-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 84.0% and 85.9% (χ2=0.08,P =0.780) ,77.0% and 72.0% (χ2=0.44,P =0.510) ,89.5% and 92.3% (χ2=0.65 ,P = 0.420), and 84.9% and 77.0% (χ2= 1.59, P = 0.210), respectively; For T1-4 N2-3 M0 NPC patients in IC/CCRT group (97 patients) and IC/RT group (106 patients), the corresponding rates were 67.4% and 82.2% (χ2=3.48,P=0.060), 61.5% and 68.0% (χ2= 1.86,P=0.170), 86.2% and 87.0% (χ2=0.57 ,P =0.450) and 66.2% and 75.6% (χ2=2.07 ,P =0.150), respectively.Acute sideeffects were similar except more leucocytopenia in IC/CCRT group than IC/RT group.Conclusions Compared with IC/RT, IC/CCRT dose not improve the overall survival in patients with T3-4N0-1 M0 and T1-4 N2-3 M0 NPC.

Objective:To analyze the feature of cranial nerve involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its relationship with the prognosis.Method:A total of 1892 patients who were diagnosed as NPC in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2003,of which the cranial nerve involvement was 183 (9.6%) patients, were analyzed the effect of cranial nerve involvement on the prognosis.Result:The percentage of cranial nerve involvement was 9.4%. The 5 year overall survival rate was 61.0%,disease free survival rate was 55.3%,local relapse free survival rate was 75.2% and distant metastasis free survival rate was73.4%.Periods of cranial nerve involvement,clinical stage,the diameter of the lymph nodes,involvement of cavernous sinus, and the level of the recovery of cranial nerve involvement were significantly associated with prognosis in univariate analysis(P<0.05).With multivariate analysis,the recovery level of cranial nerve involvement was the independent factor that affected the 5-year overall survival (RR=2.087). The diameter of the lymph nodes and involvement of cavernous sinus were the independent factors that affected the 5-year distant metastasis-free survival(RR=1.954 and 2.136,respectively).Conclusion:Periods of cranial nerve involvement and the level of the recovery of cranial nerve involvement were significantly correlated with prognosis. Involvement of cavernous sinus could increase the rate of distant metastasis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the feature of cranial nerve involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its relationship with the prognosis. METHOD: A total of 1892 patients who were diagnosed as NPC in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2003, of which the cranial nerve involvement was 183 (9.6%) patients, were analyzed the effect of cranial nerve involvement on the prognosis. RESULT: The percentage of cranial nerve involvement was 9.4%. The 5 year overall survival rate was 61.0%, disease free survival rate was 55.3%, local relapse free survival rate was 75.2% and distant metastasis free survival rate was 73.4%. Periods of cranial nerve involvement, clinical stage, the diameter of the lymph nodes, involvement of cavernous sinus, and the level of the recovery of cranial nerve involvement were significantly associated with prognosis in univariate analysis(P < 0.05). With multivariate analysis, the recovery level of cranial nerve involvement was the independent factor that affected the 5-year overall survival (RR = 2.087). The diameter of the lymph nodes and involvement of cavernous sinus were the independent factors that affected the 5-year distant metastasis-free survival (RR = 1.954 and 2.136, respectively). CONCLUSION Periods of cranial nerve involvement and the level of the recovery of cranial nerve involvement were significantly correlated with prognosis. Involvement of cavernous sinus could increase the rate of distant metastasis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cranial Nerves ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis ; Young Adult