Background and objective: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has recently gained popularity in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and improved the local-regional control rate. This study was to explore whether IMRT could improved the survival rate while reduce the radiation-related injury for primary NPC patients compared with conventional radiotherapy (CRT).
Methods: From Nov. 2003 to Dec. 2005, 190 patients with NPC treated with IMRT in a single hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Another 190 patients treated with conventional radiotherapy at the same period were matched by prognostic factors respectively. The survival status and treatment-induced adverse effects were investigated. Treatment results, the occurrence and severity of adverse effects of two groups were compared.
Results: In the treatment of NPC, IMRT was superior to CRT in term of 4-year local regional control rate, relapse-free survival rate without reducing the overall survival rate. But there were no significant differences in the 4-year progress-free survival rate and distant metastasis-free survival rate between the two groups. Significant reductions of the occurrence rates and severity of acute skin reaction, neck fibrosis, trismus and xerostomia were noted in IMRT arm. But there were no differences in mucositis, hematological toxicity, hearing loss and radiation induced cranial neuropathy between IMRT arm and CRT arm.
Conclusions: IMRT could improve the local regional control rate and relapse-free survival rate while reduce some radiation-related complications in patients with NPC. But the improvement of overall survival rate did not reach significant level.