3D-CT implanted interstitial brachytherapy for T2b nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiotherapy
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Stage T2b nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) requires effective treatment strategies.
• Comparing conventional external beam radiotherapy (ERT) with advanced techniques is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of ERT combined with 3D-computed tomography (CT)-implanted interstitial high dose rate brachytherapy (3D-HDR-BT) against ERT alone for T2b NPC.
• To evaluate local control, disease-free survival, and complication rates between the two treatment modalities.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 40 patients with T2b NPC received ERT followed by 3D-HDR-BT.
• Another cohort of 101 T2b NPC patients received ERT alone.
• Dosages and survival rates were recorded and analyzed.

Main Results:

• The ERT/3D-HDR-BT group showed a significantly higher 5-year local failure-free survival rate (97.5% vs. 80.2%) and disease-free survival rate (92.5% vs. 73.3%) compared to the ERT alone group.
• Multivariate analysis indicated that 3D-HDR-BT was favorable for local control and disease-free survival.
• Acute and chronic complication rates were compared between groups.

Conclusions:

• The combination of ERT and 3D-HDR-BT enhances local control in T2b NPC treatment.
• Improved conformal dose distributions and escalated radiation doses likely contribute to better outcomes.
• This combined modality offers a promising advancement in NPC radiotherapy.