Treatment results of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a 15-year single institutional experience

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant neoplasm of the head and neck that occurs most commonly in people in the South Eastern Asia but its condition in Iran is not much clear.

In this retrospective study, we evaluated the treatment characteristics determining the outcome in patients with NPC.

In this retrospective study, we reviewed the records of one hundred and seven patients with biopsy proven diagnosis of NPC who were referred to the radiation oncology department, Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, during the time period from January 1985 to December 2000. Eightyfive patients (79.4%) received 60-70Gy radiation (1.8- 2Gy/fraction, one fraction per day, and 5 fractions per week). Sixty-two patients (57.5%) received radiotherapy combined with adjuvant chemotherapy which consisted of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Eighty-six patients (80.4%) had WHO II-III histopathologic diagnosis. According to the AJCC 1997 staging system, 4 (3.6%), 3 (2.7%), 33 (30.8%) and 67 (62%) patients were in stages I, II, III and IV, respectively.

With a median follow-up of 12 months, the 2-year overall and disease-free survival rates were 35% and 21%, respectively. According to the multivariate analysis for overall survival, patients under 40 years had a better prognosis (p=0.041). Node stage and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors (p=0.0001). On multivariate analysis for disease-free survival, age and node stage were significant prognostic factors. The patients who received more than 60Gy radiation had a better prognosis (p=0.02), however; sequential adjuvant chemotherapy had no impact on survival and response (p=0.6).

Our experience confirmed earlier reports showing poor outcomes for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas. This study failed to demonstrate improvement in the outcome regarding overall and disease-free survival by adding sequential adjuvant chemotherapy after radiotherapy for patients with advanced NPC.