Late local-regional recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after conventional radiotherapy

Objective To investigate the local-regional recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) 5 years after conventional radiotherapy and its prognosis.Methods From August 1989 to Decem ber 1999,1384 patients with newly histo-pathologicatly diagnosed NPC were treated with conventional radia tion.350 out of 1277 followed-up patients were diagnosed as local-regional failure.The intervals between completion of radiation and tumor relapse ranged from 6 months to 171 months.There were 62 patients with local-regional recurrence 5 years after the radiotherapy,including 41 in nasopharynx,19 in neck and 2 in na sopharynx and neck simultaneously.Thirty-seven patients with late local-regional recurrence received a sec ond course conventional radiotherapy.Results The median survival time was 44 months(95% CI = 30.4 -57.6) of patients with re-irradiation comparing with 14 months (95% CI = 7.1-20.8) of those without. The 5 year survival rate after re-irradiation was 42%.Conclusions Local-regional recurrence of nasopha ryngeal carcinoma can oeoure 5 years after radiotherapy.Second course converntional radiotherapy possesses good results. Key words: Nasopharyngeal neoplasms/radiotherapy; Neoplasms recurrence,local-regional; Second treatment; Prognosis