NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA - A STUDY EXAMINING ASIAN PATIENTS TREATED IN THE UNITED-STATES

From 1972 to 1991, 126 Asian patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma un derwent definitive radiation therapy for locoregional disease: 86 men, 40 women. Median age was 50. All patients received external-beam irra diation with cobalt 60 or 4-18 MV x-rays. Local recurrence, regional r ecurrence, and distant metastases were 22%, 11%, and 23%, respectively . Local recurrence progressively increased with increasing T stage, bu t doses in those who recurred did not differ from the group as a whole . Regional recurrence was not associated with T or N stage or dose. Pa tients with N2 disease had the highest distant metastatic rate. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 54% and 38%, respectively. Of age, gender, and histology, only age less then 50 was found to be fav orably prognostic. No severe long-term complications were observed, an d acute reactions were acceptable. Our survival results are comparable with results found both in Asia and North America. Nonetheless, alter ed fractionation techniques and/or other radiation modalities should b e further explored to improve locoregional control.