Prognostic analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after curative radiotherapy

Objective To analyze the prognosis and its influencing factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after radical radiotherapy. Methods Clinical data of 184 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radical radiotherapy with distant metastases were retrospectively reviewed and the factors affecting prognosis were analyzed. Results The median survival time was 12 months for the whole group, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 50.6%, 30.7% and 20.9%, respectively. Cox univariate analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with metastasis after radiotherapy was significantly related with The N stage, chemotherapy, time interval between the end of radiotherapy and occurrence of distant metastasis, metastatic sites, chemotherapy after metastasis, cycles of chemotherapy and palliative radiotherapy after metastasis (P 0.05). Advanced N stage, no chemotherapy, short time interval between the end of radiotherapy and occurrence of distant metastasis, multiple metastases, no radiotherapy or chemotherapy for metastases were predictive for poor prognosis (P<0.05). Multivariable analysis indicated that factors including N stage at initial diagnosis, metastatic sites, whether or not chemotherapy was given, the time interval between the end of radiotherapy and the occurrence of distant metastasis were independent factors affecting the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after radiotherapy. Conclusions N stage at initial diagnosis, metastatic sites, whether or not chemotherapy was given, the time interval between the end of radiotherapy and the occurrence of distant metastasis are independent factors affecting the prognosis for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after radiotherapy. Systemic chemotherapy and local palliative radiotherapy are the primary treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with metastasis. Key words: Nasopharyngeal neoplasms; Neoplasm metastasis; Prognosis; Therapy