3D-image-guided high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy for salvage treatment of locallypersistent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Yu-Feng Ren; Xin-Ping Cao; Jia Xu; Wei-Jun Ye; Yuan-Hong Gao; Teh, Bin S.; Bi-Xiu Wen

Background: To evaluate the therapeutic benefit of 3D-image-guided high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy (3D-image-guided HDR-BT) used as a salvage treatment of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with locally persistent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: Thirty-two patients with locally persistent NPC after full dose of IMRT were evaluated retrospectively. 3D-image-guided HDR-BT treatment plan was performed on a 3D treatment planning system (PLATO BPS 14.2). The median dose of 16 Gy was delivered to the 100% isodose line of the Gross Tumor Volume. Results: The whole procedure was well tolerated under local anesthesia. The actuarial 5-y local control rate for 3D-image-guided HDR-BT was 93.8%, patients with early-T stage at initial diagnosis had 100% local control rate. The 5-y actuarial progression-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival rate were 78.1%, 87.5%. One patient developed and died of lung metastases. The 5-y actuarial overall survival rate was 96.9%.Conclusions: Our results showed that 3D-image-guided HDR-BT would provide excellent local control as a salvage therapeutic modality to IMRT for patients with locally persistent disease at initial diagnosis of early-T stage NPC.

RADIOISOTOPE brachytherapy; MEDICAL imaging systems; THREE-dimensional imaging; SALVAGE therapy; CARCINOMA; ANESTHESIA; METASTASIS

Radiation Oncology, 2013, Vol 8, Issue 1, p1

1748-717X

Academic Journal

10.1186/1748-717X-8-165