International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics
Volume 72, Issue 2 , Pages 356-364 , 1 October 2008

Quality of Life and Survival Outcome for Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Receiving Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy vs. Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy—A Longitudinal Study

  • Fu-Min Fang, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to: Fu-Min Fang, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Kaohsiung Medical Center, 123 Ta-Pei Rd., Niao Sung Hsian, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan. Tel: (+886) 7-7317123, ext. 2600; Fax: (+886) 7-7322813
    • ,
  • Chih-Yen Chien, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otolaryngology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Wen-Ling Tsai, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Department of Cosmetic Application and Management, Yung Ta Institute of Technology & Commerce, Pintung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hui-Chun Chen, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hsuan-Chih Hsu, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chun-Chung Lui, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Tai-Lin Huang, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hsuan-Ying Huang, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan
    • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital—Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan

Received 13 September 2007 ,Revised 24 December 2007 ,Accepted 27 December 2007.

References 

  1. Teo PML, Ma BBY, Chan ATC. Radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma—transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional methods. Radiother Oncol. 2004;73:163–172
  2. Jen YM, Shih R, Lin YS, et al. Parotid gland-sparing 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy results in less severe dry mouth in nasopharyngeal cancer patients: A dosimetric and clinical comparison with conventional radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol. 2005;75:204–209
  3. Chao KSC, Majhail N, Huang CJ, et al. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy reduces late salivary toxicity without compromising tumor control in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma: A comparison with conventional techniques. Radiother Oncol. 2001;61:275–280
  4. Saarilahti K, Kouri M, Collan J, et al. Intensity modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: Evidence for preserved salivary gland function. Radiother Oncol. 2005;74:251–258
  5. McMillan AS, Pow EHN, Kwong DLW, et al. Preservation of quality of life after intensity-modulated radiotherapy for early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Results of a prospective longitudinal study. Head Neck. 2006;28:712–722
  6. Hsiung CY, Ting HM, Huang HY, et al. Parotid-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: preserved parotid function after IMRT on quantitative scintigraphy and comparison with historical data after conventional radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006;66:454–461
  7. Fang FM, Tsai WL, Chen HC, et al. Intensity-modulated or conformal radiotherapy improves quality of life of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma—comparisons of four radiotherapy techniques. Cancer. 2007;109:311–321
  8. Sultanem K, Shu HK, Xia P, et al. Three-dimensional intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: The University of California-San Francisco experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000;48:711–722
  9. Xia P, Fu KK, Wong GW, et al. Comparison of treatment plans involving intensity-modulated radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000;48:329–337
  10. Hsiung CY, Yorke ED, Chui CS, et al. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for boost or salvage treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2002;53:638–647
  11. Fang FM, Tsai WL, Ko SF, et al. Implications of quantitative tumor and nodal regression rates for nasopharyngeal carcinomas after 45 Gy of RT. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2001;50:961–969
  12. Hsiung CY, Hunt MA, Yorke ED, et al. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy as the boost or salvage treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: The appropriate parameters in the inverse planning and the effect of patient's anatomic factors on the planning results. Radiother Oncol. 2005;77:53–57
  13. Bjordal K, Kaasa S. Psychometric validation of the EORTC Core Quality of Life Questionnaire, 30-item version and a diagnosis-specific module for head and neck cancer patients. Acta Oncol. 1992;31:311–321
  14. Aronson NK, Ahmedzai S, Bergman B, et al. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30: A quality-of-life instrument for use in international clinical trials in oncology. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1993;85:365–376
  15. Bjordal K, Hammerlid E, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, et al. Quality of life in head and neck cancer patients: Validation of the EORTC H&N35. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17:1008–1019
  16. Fayers P, Aaronson NK, Bjordal K, et al. EORTC QLQ-C30 scoring manual. 2nd edition. Brussels, Belgium: EORTC Data Center; 1999;
  17. King MT. The interpretation of scores from the EORTC quality of life questionnaire QLQ-C30. Qual Life Res. 1996;5:555–567
  18. Osoba D, Rodrigues G, Myles J, et al. Interpreting the significance of changes in health-related quality-of-life scores. J Clin Oncol. 1998;16:139–144
  19. Kwong DLW, Pow EHN, Sham JST, et al. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A prospective study on disease control and preservation of salivary function. Cancer. 2004;101:1584–1593
  20. Lee N, Xia P, Quivey JM, et al. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: An update of the UCSF experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2002;53:12–22
  21. Wolden SL, Chen WC, Pfister DG, et al. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for nasopharynx cancer: Update of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006;64:57–62
  22. Wolden SL, Zelefsky MJ, Hunt MA, et al. Failure of a 3D conformal boost to improve radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2001;49:1229–1234
  23. Fang FM, Chiu HC, Kuo WR, et al. Health-related quality of life for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with cancer-free survival after treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2002;53:959–968
  24. Sham JST, Wei WI. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Lancet. 2005;365:2041–2054
  25. Kam MKM, Leung SF, Zee B, et al. Prospective randomized study of intensity-modulated radiotherapy on salivary gland function in early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25:4873–4879
  26. List MA, Stracks J. Evaluation of quality of life in patients definitively treated for squamous carcinoma of the head and neck. Curr Opin Oncol. 2000;12:215–220
  27. Hammerlid E, Mercke C, Sullivan M, et al. A prospective quality of life study of patients with laryngeal carcinoma by tumor stage and different radiation therapy schedules. Laryngoscope. 1998;108:747–759
  28. De Graeff A, de Leeuw JRJ, Ros WJG, et al. A prospective study on quality of life of laryngeal cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. Head Neck. 1999;21:291–296
  29. De Graeff A, de Leeuw JRJ, Ros WJG, et al. Long-term quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer. Laryngoscope. 2000;110:98–106
  30. Bjordal K, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Hammerlid E, et al. A prospective study of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients part II: Longitudinal data. Laryngoscope. 2001;111:1440–1452
  31. Hammerlid E, Taft C. Health-related quality of life in long-term head and neck cancer survivors: A comparison with general population norms. Br J Cancer. 2001;84:149–156
  32. Fisher J, Scott C, Scarantino CW, et al. Phase III quality of life study: impact on patients' quality of life to reducing xerostomia after radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer—RTOG 97–09. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2003;56:832–836
  33. Ringash J, Warde P, Lockwood G, O'Sullivan B, et al. Postradiotherapy quality of life for head-and-neck cancer patients is independent of xerostomia. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2005;61:1403–1407
  34. Sprangers MA. Quality-of-life assessment in oncology. Achievements and challenges. Acta Oncol. 2002;41:229–237
  35. Sprangers MA, Schwartz CE. Integrating response shift into health-related quality of life research: a theoretical model. Social Sci Med. 1999;48:1507–1515
  36. Cengiz M, Ozyar E, Esassolak M, et al. Assessment of quality of life of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with EORTC QLQ-C30 and H&N-35 modules. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2005;63:1347–1353

 Supported by the grant NSC 90-2320-B-182A-006 from the National Science Council, Taiwan; and CMRP610 from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.

 Conflict of interest: none.

PII: S0360-3016(08)00052-7

doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.12.054

International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics
Volume 72, Issue 2 , Pages 356-364 , 1 October 2008

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution