SUPERSCAN IN PATIENTS WITH NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA

Bone scintigraphy plays an important role in the early detection of bo ne metastases in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and serial sca ns may aid the clinician to assess the therapeutic response. A supersc an is a pattern described as abnormal bone scan, indicating extensive bony metastases associated with various neoplastic diseases. Bone scan s from 407 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were reviewed retros pectively. Only six superscans (1.5%) were found. The appearance of a superscan is frequently accompanied by an abnormal titer of serologica l markers IgG-VCA and IgA-VCA, liver metastases, and poor survival. Al though a superscan rarely occurs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, its appe arance may represent a poor prognosis in these patients.