Objective:To retrospectively analyze the failure patterns and outcomes of patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) after undergoing induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by definitive radiotherapy.Methods:For patients with locally advanced HPSCC who were treated with IC and definitive radiotherapy from August 2008 to December 2019, their data were collected from the medical records system, and their clinical characteristics, failure patterns, and survival were retrospectively analyzed.Results:A total of 116 eligible patient with squamous cell carcinoma were included in this study. with a median age of 59 (39-79), and 3, 3, 60, and 50 of them had stage Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ A, and Ⅳ B HPSCC, respectively. Among these patients, 81 received 1~2 cycles of IC, and 35 received 3-4 cycles of IC. After treatment with IC, 54, 13, and 49 patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy combined with targeted therapy, and radiotherapy alone, respectively. The median follow-up was 34.6 months (95% CI: 28.7-40.5 months). The 3-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of all the patients were 63.5%, 82.8%, 75.2%, 47.3%, and 43.1%, respectively. Median PFS and OS were 26.1 and 28.0 months, respectively. Treatment failure was reported in 59 patients, of whom 22, 5, 12, 10, 3, 6 and 1 experienced local, regional, distant only, local-regional, regional-distant, local-distant, and local-regional-distant failure, respectively. The objective response rate (CR+ PR) of patients after IC was 55.2% (64/116). The LRFS, RRFS, PFS, and OS of IC responders (CR+ PR) were better than those of IC non-responders (SD+ PD) ( χ2 = 12.52, 5.16, 13.19, 11.72, all P< 0.05). Conclusions:IC combined with radical radiotherapy has efficacy to a certain extent in the treatment of locally advanced HPSCC, and locoregional recurrence predominates the failure patterns. The prognosis of IC responders is significantly better than that of IC non-responders.

Objective:To evaluate the survival outcomes of radiotherapy in patients with newly-diagnosed metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) based on data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.Methods:A total of 1226 patients newly-diagnosed with metastatic HNSCC between 2010 and 2015 were selected from the SEER database. There were 762 patients (62.1%) in the radiotherapy group and 464 patients (37.9%) in the non-radiotherapy group. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). The effect of radiotherapy on survival was assessed by Cox multivariate regression and Propensity score-matched analyses (PSM). According to the results of multivariate analysis, the patients were further divided into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, and the effect of radiotherapy on survival was analyzed in different risk groups.Results:The median CSS and OS time of the whole group was 11.0 months and 10.0 months, respectively. For patients in the radiotherapy group and non-radiotherapy group, the median CSS time was 13.0 months and 6.0 months, and the median OS time was 12.0 months and 6.0 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age (CSS, P=0.045;OS, P=0.002), primary tumor site (CSS, P=0.021;OS, P<0.001), T stage (CSS, P=0.001;OS, P=0.002), N stage (CSS, P=0.002;OS, P<0.001), number of metastatic organs (CSS, P<0.001;OS, P<0.001), surgery (CSS, P<0.001;OS, P<0.001), radiotherapy (CSS, P<0.001;OS, P<0.001), and chemotherapy (CSS, P<0.001;OS, P<0.001)were the independent prognostic factors. After PSM, patients with and without radiotherapy in the low-,intermediate-,and high-risk groups, the 3-year CSS rates were 62.5% vs 23.5%( P=0.008), 22.4% vs 15.7%( P=0.001)and 10.5% vs 9.6%( P=0.203), respectively; the 3-year OS were 58.0% vs 20.8%( P=0.002), 19.8% vs 12.7%( P=0.001)and 7.0% vs 6.1%( P=0.166), respectively. Conclusion:Radiotherapy significantly improves CSS and OS in the low- and intermediate-risk groups, but patients in the high-risk group do not benefit from radiotherapy.

Objective:To observe the changes of nutrition impact symptoms (NIS) and fat-free mass and analyze the relationship between them in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) during radiotherapy.Methods:A convenient sampling method was adopted to select HNC patients who received radiotherapy in the outpatient clinic of department of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer in a cancer hospital in Beijing from March 2017 to January 2020. The nutrition impact symptoms (NIS) were assessed by a nutrition impact symptoms checklist and the fat free mass was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis at three time points: before radiotherapy (T1), during radiotherapy (T2) and at the end of radiotherapy (T3). The Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) was used to analyze the relationship between them.Results:A total of 542 HNC patients were included in the analysis. During radiotherapy, the patients' NIS number and score presented an increasing trend, reaching the highest level and peaked at the end of radiotherapy. The change of fat-free mass showed a decreasing trend and reached the minimum at the end of radiotherapy. Patients with higher NIS scores had more percentage loss of fat-free mass.Conclusions:During radiotherapy, patients with HNC showed an increase in NIS score and lost fat-free mass. Patients with higher NIS score lost more percentage of fat-free mass, which suggested that clinical medical staff should pay attention to NIS management and take comprehensive intervention measures in time to reduce the loss of fat-free mass.

Objective:To assess the efficacy and toxicity of chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of early stage extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL).Methods:Retrospective review was conducted for 174 patients with pathological proved early stage ENKTCL who were treated in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was adopted to calculate the local-regional control (LRC), overall survival (OS), and progression free survival (PFS), and the Log-rank test COX regression model were applied to univariate and multivariate analyses.Results:The patients in this study included 102 and 72 patients diagnosed with Ann Arbor stage-Ⅰ and stage-Ⅱ, respectively. Among them, two patients received radiotherapy alone and 172 patients were treated with combined chemoradiotherapy. The overall response rate of all the patients was 94.2%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 87.9% (153). Furthermore, the rates of 5-year OS, PFS, and LRC were 87.3%, 83.1%, and 91.9%, respectively. The most common toxicities during the chemotherapy and radiotherapy included myelosuppression and oral mucositis, with grade ≥ 3 myelosuppression and grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis accounting for 62.1% and 10.9% of all patients, respectively. As shown by multivariate analysis, the adverse prognostic factors for OS included age > 60, B symptoms, and stage Ⅱ, while the adverse prognostic factors for PFS included age > 60 and stage Ⅱ. Meanwhile, the PFS rate was significantly improved by increasing the radiation dose (≥ 50 Gy vs.<50 Gy), and the 5-year PFS rates of the two groups were 83.5% and 76.5%, respectively [hazard ratio ( HR) 0.374; 95% CI, 0.169-0.826; P=0.015]. Conclusions:A good therapeutic effect can be achieved for early stage NK/T-cell lymphoma and the toxicities after combined chemoradiotherapy can be tolerated.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of abnormal heart rate circadian rhythm for all-cause mortality in stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD 5) patients.Methods:The retrospective study was performed in CKD 5 patients enrolled from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University (Jiangsu Province Hospital) and the Affiliated BenQ Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from February, 2011 to December, 2019. A total of 159 healthy volunteers were enrolled as the healthy control group during the same period. The circadian rhythm of heart rate was monitored by 24-hour Holter. Related indices (including 24-hour, daytime and nighttime mean heart rate, night/day heart rate ratio, 24-hour maximum heart rate, 24-hour minimum heart rate and difference between maximum and minimum of 24-hour heart rate) were calculated. Non-dipping heart rate was defined as night/day heart rate ratio greater than 0.9. Cox regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Log-rank test were used to compare the differences of cumulative mortality between high ratio group (night/day heart rate ratio>0.91) and low ratio group (night/day heart rate ratio≤0.91). The nonlinear relationship between night/day heart rate ratio and all-cause mortality was analyzed by restricted cubic spline plot. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the predictive value of night/day heart rate ratio for all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients.Results:A total of 159 healthy volunteers and 221 CKD 5 patients were included in this study. There were 123 males (55.66%) and the age was (52.72±13.13) years old in CKD 5 patients. The total median follow-up time was 50.0 months. Compared with controls, 24-hour, nighttime mean heart rate, 24-hour minimum heart rate in CKD 5 patients were increased (all P<0.05), furthermore, the night/day heart rate ratio was higher [(0.91±0.09) vs (0.81±0.08), P<0.001], showing "non-dipping heart rate". However, the 24-hour maximum heart rate and the difference between maximum and minimum of 24-hour heart rate in CKD 5 patients were lower than controls (both P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the increased night/day heart rate ratio (per 0.1 increase, HR=1.557, 95% CI 1.073-2.258, P=0.020) was an independent influencing factor for all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the cumulative mortality of the high ratio group was significantly increased than that of the low ratio group (Log-rank test χ 2=7.232, P=0.007). From the restricted cubic spline plot, there was a linear effect between night/day heart rate ratio and all-cause mortality ( P=0.141), and when night/day heart rate ratio was above 0.91, the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly increased in CKD 5 patients. According to time-dependent ROC curve, the accuracy of night/day heart rate ratio in predicting all-cause mortality was 70.90% even when the survival time was up to 70.0 months. Conclusions:The circadian rhythm of heart rate in CKD 5 patients displays "non-dipping" state. High night/day heart rate ratio is an independent influencing factor for all-cause mortality in CKD 5 patients.

Objective:To explore overall survival(OS) and prognostic factors of brainstem gliomas (BSG) after intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) by a retrospective single-center analysis.Methods:A total of twenty-one patients with BSG were collected in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2012 to September 2019. All patients underwent IMRT. OS and potential prognostic factors were analyzed, including gender, age, operation type, imaging classification, tumor location, WHO grade, chemotherapy, radiotherapy pattern, time interval between morbidity and the first treatment, and radiation dose.Results:Eighteen of twenty-one patients were followed up more than 3 months. The median follow-up time was 15.5 (5.3-25.6) months. The median overall survival (mOS) was 20 (14.1-25.8) months. The 1 and 2-year OS rates were 86.2% and 34.5% respectively. Operation type, imaging classification, tumor location, WHO grade and radiotherapy pattern were the prognosis factors ( χ2=4.829-20.261, P<0.05). Conclusions:Patients with maximal safe surgical resection, focal endogenesis / exogenesis, tumor located in mesencephalon, low-grade gliomas and/or received postoperative radiotherapy have a better prognosis. It has certain reference value for guiding the clinical practice.

Objective To describe the characteristics of dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer during radiotherapy,and analyze the cause of dysphagia and the relationship between dysphagia and weight change.Methods Patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy in Beijing Cancer Hospital from November 2017 to June 2018 were recruited.The M.D.Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) was used to assess the dysphagia of patients before (T1),during (T2) and at the end (T3) of the radiotherapy.Meanwhile,the weight,dietary intake and radiation adverse effects were investigated.Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the impact factors of dysphagia and the relationship among dysphagia,dietary intake and weight change.Results Ninety-six patients were completely investigated and the incidence of dysphagia were 6.3％ (6/ 96),80.2％ (77/96) and 85.4％ (82/96) in T1,T2 and T3.With the progress of radiotherapy,the total score and the scores of 4 dimensions of MDADI dropped and the dietary intake declined.The average weight loss was (5.09±3.31) kg,and 76.1％ of the patients had weight loss over 5％ at the end of radiotherapy.The occurrence of dysphagia was associated with the radiotherapy-related oral and laryngeal mucositis and the weight loss was closely associated with the site of radiation,dysphagia,and dietary intake decline.Conclusions The dysphagia of patients with head and neck cancer is affected by radiation adverse effects,and is most severe at the end of radiotherapy.Dysphagia might result in dietary intake decline and weight loss.Clinicians should pay close attention to the swallowing function of the patients and take measures earlier accordingly.

Objective To review the failure patterns and clinical outcomes for patients with cervical esophageal carcinoma (CEC) undergoing definitive radiotherapy (RT).Methods Medical records,clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with CEC treated by definitive RT from August 2008 to May 2017 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.Results A total of 97 patients with squamous cell CEC were enrolled in this study with a median age of 59 years old (range 18-78 years old).There were 34 patients with limited cervical esophagus,and 63 patients with diseases beyond cervical region,respectively.There were 69,7,and 6 patients with Bronchi invasion,thyroid lobes involvement and aortic involvement,respectively.There were 11,80 and 6 patients with stage Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ (non-regional lymph node metastases),respectively.The median dose to the gross tumor volume (GTV) was 66 Gy,in which 46 patients received above 66 Gy and 51 patients received less than 66 Gy,respectively.The median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 16.03 and 23.30 months,respectively,with a median follow-up of 14.90 months.The 1,2,3-year PFS and OS were 56.86％,30.35％,26.34％,and 72.54％,47.94％,40.81％,respectively.Sixty-one patients had treatment failure at their last follow-up,in which 40,27,and 18 patients developed local failure,regional failure,and distant metastasis,respectively.Univariate analysis revealed that thyroid lobes involvement resulted in lower PFS (x2 =5.773,P＜0.05) and OS (x2 =13.461,P＜0.05),and bronchi involvement (x2 =4.283,P＜0.05) was associated with lower OS.Multivariate analysis indicated that aortic involvement and thyroid lobes involvement were associated with lower PFS (x2 =6.796,4.548,P＜0.05) and OS (x2 =13.421,10.581,P＜0.05),and GTV dose above 66 Gy was associated with higher OS (x2=5.296,P＜0.05).Conclusions Local-regional recurrence was the main failure pattern for patients with CEC after definitive RT.Aortic,thyroid lobes,and/or bronchi involvement were associated with poor prognosis,and GTV dose ≥66 Gy tended to improve OS.Prospective studies with larger population were needed to further confirm this study.

Objective To describe the characteristics of radiation induced mucositis in patients withhead and neck cancer ( HNC) during radiotherapy, and analyze the effect of radiation induced mucositis on diet patterns and weight change and the influencing factors for radiation induced mucositis. Methods Patients with HNC treated with radiotherapy in one cancer hospital were recruited. Data were collected before, during and at the end of the radiotherapy, which included radiation induced oral and pharyngeal mucositis, pain during eat-ing, diet patterns and weight. Results Two hundred and two patients were completely investigated and 43.5％and 34. 2％ of the patients suffered from moderate to severe (≥grade 2) oral mucositis and pharyngeal mucosi-tis, respectively during the radiotherapy. At the end of radiotherapy, 53. 5％ and 51. 5％ of the patients suffered from moderate to severe oral mucositis and pharyngeal mucositis (≥grade 2 ) , respectively. Oral and pharyngeal mucositis were significantly correlated with pain during eating, diet patterns and weight ( P<0. 05) . Tumor site was the main reason that affected the severity of mucositis ( Wald χ2 =26. 033, 14. 216;P<0.001). Conclusion Radiation induced mucositis was gradually aggravated with radiotherapy progress, which is closely related to pain during eating, change of diet patterns and weight loss. The severity of mucositis is re-lated to the tumor site. Measures should be taken to strengthen the management of adverse reactions and nutri-tional status of patients.

Objective To investigate the approaches,techniques and efficacies ofmicrosurgical resection ofpetroclival meningiomas.Methods A total of 59 patients with petroclival meningiomas,admitted to our hospital from January 2003 to January 2016,were chosen in our study;single microscopic resection was performed in 55 patients (93.2％) and re-operation was performed in 4 patients (6.8％);29 times (46.0％) via retrosigmoid approach,17 times (27.0％) via tranpetrosal approach,and 17 time via subtemporal approach (27.0％) were chosen.The clinical data,radiological findings,surgical records and outcomes of patients were retrospectively analyzed,and the prognostic factors was analyzed.Results Complete resection was achieved in 31 patients (52.5％),subtotal resection in 19 (21.7％) and partial resection in 9 (15.3％).There was no death in perioperative period.Follow-up were obtained in 55 patients,and median follow-up was 42.6 months (ranged 3-131 months).Permanent neurological damage occurred in 16 patients (27％).Tumor recurred in 11 patients:6 had gamma knife radiosurgery,one had routine radiotherapy,and 4 required re-operation.Two patients died of tumor recurrence/progression reoperation.In these 55 patients,42 enjoyed good prognosis and 13 had poor prognosis.The tumor sizes,brainstem edema and preoperative Kamofsky performance scale scores were unfavorable prognostic factors.Conclusion By using appropriate approaches,surgical strategies and techniques,the petroclival meningiomas can be removed with relatively favorable outcome.