Objective To summarize our experience and treatment results of nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in a single institution. Methods From Jan. 2000 to Dec.2003,1837 patients with histologically proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) were retrospectively analyzed. The disease was staged according to the Fuzhou stage classification. 885 patients received cisplatin (DDP) based chemotherapy. All patients received radiotherapy to the nasopharynx and neck. The dose was 30.6-74.0 Gy, 1.8-2.0 Gy per fraction over 3.5-8.0 weeks to the primary site with 60Co γ rays or 6 MV X-rays. The dose to lymph nodes was 60-68 Gy. The residual disease was boosted by 192Ir afterloading brachytherapy,small external beam fields, conformal radiotherapy,or X-knife. Results The median follow-up time was 54(3-90) months. The 5-year overall survival(OS), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis free survival(DMSF) rates were 67.42% ,63.25% ,86.47% and 80.31% ,respectively. Clinical stage was the most significant prognostic factor,and OS was 88% ,74.8% ,65.9% ,52.4% and 20% for stage Ⅰ ,stage Ⅱ,stage Ⅲ,stage ⅣA and stage ⅣB,respectively. Gender,T,N and TNM stage were the significant prognostic factors of OS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions For NPC patients,the 5-year OS of 67.4% is achieved by conventional radiotherapy technique in our institution. Both univariate and multivariate analysis shows that gender and clinical stage are the significant prognostic factors of OS.

Objective To evaluate the limitation of image-based classification and delineation of cervical nodes proposed in 1999. Methods 259 consecutive nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients received contrast-enhanced transverse CT scan from July to November in 2003, the scanning range extended from the skull base to the inferior border of the clavicle, with thickness set at 5?mm per slice from the skull base to the oropharynx, and 1?cm per slice from the oropharynx to the clavicle. Interpretation of the images and assessment of the involved nodes distribution were performed by both radiation oncologists together with diagnostic radiologists according to 1999 image-based classification and delineation of the neck. Then we evaluated whether this classification could fully cover all the lymphatic drainage areas of the neck. Results 218 cases had nodal involvements. Nodal distributions were 0 in levelⅠA, 6 in levelⅠB, 136 in level ⅡA, 171 in level ⅡB, 78 in level Ⅲ, 20 in level Ⅳ, 33 in level VA, 27 in level VB,0 in level Ⅵ and Ⅶ, 5 in supraclavicle and 102 in retropharyngeal space, respectively. Among another 57 cases who belonged to none of the above levels, 2 cases had lesions in the preauricular area, the rest 55 medial to the border of internal carotid artery, 2?cm from inferior to the skull base to the hyoid bone. Conclusions The 1999 image-based classification of the neck nodes,being essentially rational, did not fully cover the retropharyngeal space. It would be better to shift the inferior boundary of the retropharyngeal space to the level of the hyoid bone.