The Analysis of the Prognostic Factors of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated by Radiotherapy

Objective To analyse the prognostic factors of nasoharyngeal carcinoma treated by radiotherapy.Methods In a retrospective study,1 006 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma who received primary radiotherapy from 1984.5 to 1992.6 were included.All the patients underwent routine-dose of 60Co fractionated irradiation.Results The overall survival rate was 41.5% at 5 years and 25.7% at 10 years.The 5-year and 10-year Survival rates were significantly higher in stage Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ patients than in stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ patients(P0.01).The survival rate was also significantly higher in tumor limited to nasopharyngeal cavity than in tumor with extension to outside nasopharygeal cavity(P0.01).The survival rate was dramatically low in cancer with skull base destruction and/or cranial never invasive,or with cervical lymph metastases compared with locally limited cancer without any metastasis and invasion(P0.01).And the dose of radiation also affected the survival rate.Conclusion The clinical staging,tumor localization,cervical lymph metastasis,cranial nerve invasion or skull base destruction and the dose of radiation are the main factors which may influence the radiotherapeutic effect on nasopharyngeal carcinoma.