Pregnancy associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A retrospective case-control analysis of maternal survival outcomes
Yi-Kan Cheng1, Fan Zhang2, Ling-Long Tang2
1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Radiation Oncology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (Gastrointestinal and Anal Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University), Yuancun Er Heng Lu, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Pregnancy-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (PANPC) has been associated with poor survival. Recent advances in radiation technology and imaging techniques, and the introduction of chemotherapy have improved survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); however, it is not clear whether these changes have improved survival in PANPC. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare five-year maternal survival in patients with PANPC and non-pregnant patients with NPC.
Methods:
After adjusting for age, stage and chemotherapy mode, we conducted a retrospective case-control study among 36 non-metastatic PANPC patients and 36 non-pregnant NPC patients (control group) who were treated at our institution between 2000 and 2010.
Results:
The median age of both groups was 30years (range, 23-35years); median follow-up for all patients was 70months. Locoregionally-advanced disease accounted for 83.3% of all patients with PANPC and 92.9% of patients who developed NPC during pregnancy. In both the PANPC and control groups, 31 patients (86.1%) received chemotherapy and all patients received definitive radiotherapy. The five-year rates for overall survival (70% vs. 78%, p=0.72), distant metastasis-free survival (79% vs. 76%, p=0.77), loco-regional relapse-free survival (97% vs. 91%, p=0.69) and disease-free survival (69% vs. 74%, p=0.98) were not significantly different between the PANPC and control groups. Multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model revealed that only N-classification was significantly associated with five-year OS.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates that, in the modern treatment era, pregnancy itself may not negatively influence survival outcomes in patients with NPC; however, pregnancy may delay the diagnosis of NPC.
