R414 – Nasopharyngeal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: Study of 46 Cases

Problem The nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been a rare cancer in the world. The incidence is higher in the southern Asiatic, Groveland and Tunisia. The age range follows the bimodal distribution. It appears most frequently in males, with a ratio of 3:1. Carcinogenic factors such as tobacco and alcohol have a role of little importance in the carcinogenesis of nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma. The diagnosis has gotten in elderly phase, named noiseless phase of growing and is not common the initial presentation with metastatic lymph node in the neck. The aim of this study was the assessment of demographic, clinical and treatment factors of nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma in Department of Head and Neck Surgical and Otorrinolaryngology of Heliópolis Heliópolis‐Hosphel. Methods This was the retrospective study of 46 patients on January 1998 to august 2000. All patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma had presented histopathological diagnostic of undifferentiated type. The treatment was the radiotherapy concomitant to chemotherapy to the clinical stage III and IV. Statistic analysis: Kaplan‐Meier methods. Results The symptom of the most importance was the lymph node of neck. The local recurrences were not retreat and three of four regional recurrences were treated with neck dissection. All patients that spread out distance metastasis had presented loco‐regional control. Conclusion The tobacco and alcohol were not factors related to disease presentation. The survival free of disease to three years was of 52%. Significance The incidence, clinical factors and treatments and survival among patients with nasopharyngeal undifferentiated carcinoma.