Clinical outcome and morbidity in pediatric patients with nasopharyngeal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome and treatment-related morbidity in pediatric patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with chemoradiotherapy. We did a retrospective review of 41 pediatric patients diagnosed with NPC between 2000 and 2013. The majority of the patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation with the dose of 70 Gy in 35 fractions. Eight patients were treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy, while the remaining with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy or two-dimensional simulation technique. The median age of the patients was 14 years (range 6-20 years). Most of the patients had locoregionally advanced disease (stage III/IVA/IVB). The histology of all the cases was undifferentiated carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry for the Epstein-Barr virus-Latent membrane protein 1 was positive in nine of the 13 tested cases. The median follow-up for all and the surviving patients was 26.6 months (range 2-140.8) and 51.2 months, respectively. The 3-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were estimated at 83.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 64.8-93%) and 55.8% (95%CI: 38.7-69.8%), respectively. Distant metastases were the predominant pattern of failure. Treatment response showed an independent association with OS. T classification (T1/T2 vs. T3/T4) was significantly associated with EFS. Xerostomia, hypothyroidism, dental caries, neck fibrosis, trismus, and dysphagia were the common late effects in survivors. Radiation myelitis was observed in one patient. Treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation provides good survival outcomes in pediatric NPC. The quality of life of the survivors is a pertinent area that necessitates consideration.