A multicenter retrospective analysis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in IMRT era from a nonendemic population: Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology Head and Neck Cancer Group Study (TROD 01‐001)

Abstract

Background We aimed to evaluate patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in a nonendemic population. Methods In a national, retrospective, multicenteric study, 563 patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy at 22 centers between 2015 and 2020 were analyzed. Results Median age was 48 (9–83), age distribution was bimodal, 74.1% were male, and 78.7% were stage III‐IVA. Keratinizing and undifferentiated carcinoma rates were 3.9% and 81.2%. Patients were treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy (48.9%), or radiotherapy combined with induction chemotherapy (25%) or adjuvant chemotherapy (19.5%). After 34 (6–78) months follow‐up, 8.2% locoregional and 8% distant relapse were observed. Three‐year overall survival was 89.5% and was lower in patients with age ≥50, male sex, keratinizing histology, T4, N3 and advanced stage (III‐IVA). Conclusions Patients with NPC in Turkey have mixed clinical features of both east and west. Survival outcomes are comparable to other reported series; however, the rate of distant metastases seems to be lower.