Risk Factors and Predictive Model for Otitis Media With Effusion After Radiotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiotherapy
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients undergoing radiotherapy are at risk for otitis media with effusion (OME).
• Understanding the impact of specific radiation fields on OME development is crucial for patient management.
• Current methods for identifying high-risk patients require enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between different radiotherapy fields and OME risk in NPC patients.
• To develop and validate a predictive nomogram for identifying NPC patients at high risk of developing OME post-radiotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 243 NPC patients (170 development, 73 validation groups).
• Multivariate logistic regression to identify independent risk factors for OME.
• Construction and validation of a nomogram using AUC, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and decision curve analysis.

Main Results:

• Gender, Eustachian tube invasion, and radiation to parotid, periauricular, and parapharyngeal spaces were identified as independent risk factors for OME.
• The nomogram showed good predictive performance with AUC values of 0.813 (development) and 0.798 (validation).
• The nomogram demonstrated significant clinical utility and high predictive efficiency in identifying high-risk patients.

Conclusions:

• Specific radiation fields are significant risk factors contributing to OME development in NPC patients.
• The developed nomogram provides a valuable tool for early identification of high-risk individuals.
• This tool can facilitate timely interventions and potentially improve patient outcomes.