Carcinoma of the nasopharynx: survival and patterns of recurrence

We have analyzed survival, disease-free (NED) survival, and patterns of recurrence for 76 patients with carcinoma of the nasopharynx treated from June 1964 through July 1979. Patients with Stages I through IV, who were treated for cure, comprise the study group. Megavoltage teletherapy treatment was delivered to the primary bilateral neck and supraclavicular areas. Dose to the nasopharynx ranged from less than 55 Gy to 70 Gy with several patients receiving higher doses. The observed 5 year NED survival rates were: Stage I, 75%; Stage II, 20%; Stage III, 42%; and Stage IV, 31%. During a 5-year minimum follow-up for all patients, 46 or 60.5% failed. Ninety-five percent of these failures occurred within 3 years; only two patients relapsed after more than 5 years.