International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research

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Impact of the Patterns of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis on the Clinical Target Volume for the Radiotherapy Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Received: 03 June 2019    Accepted: 08 July 2019    Published: 31 October 2019
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Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the patterns of retropharyngeal lymph node (RLN) metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and their impact on the clinical target volume (CTV) delineation in radiotherapy. Methods: A total of 190 patients with untreated, nonmetastatic NPC received MRI scans of the nasopharynx and neck before treatment. The imaging characteristics of RLN metastasis and their relationships with the staging system were analysed. Results: A total of 121 patients developed RLN metastasis. The incidence rate of RLN metastasis was 63.7%. The RLN metastases of the 121 patients were distributed evenly in the lateral group, and no lymph node metastasis was observed in the medial group. Among the 121 patients, there were 66 cases of unilateral metastasis (54.5%) and 55 cases of bilateral metastasis (45.5%). The central position of the lymph nodes was mainly distributed in the C1 vertebra region. The differences in the RLN metastasis rate between different T stages, N stages and clinical stages were statistically significant (all P<0.01). Conclusion: Medial RLN metastasis is rarely observed in NPC and therefore does not require routine prophylactic irradiation with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This is an important issue for future research.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11
Published in International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research (Volume 4, Issue 4, August 2019)
Page(s) 34-37
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC), Retropharyngeal Lymph Node (RLN), Radiation Therapy, Clinical Target Volume (CTV)

References
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[3] Feng F Y, Kim H M, Lyden T H, et al. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy of head and neck cancer aiming to reduce dysphagia: early dose-effect relationships for the swallowing structures. [J]. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 2007, 68 (5): 1289-1298.
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Author Information
  • Department of Oncology, Nanhai Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, China

  • Department of Oncology, Nanhai Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, China

  • Department of Oncology, Nanhai Hospital Affiliated to Southern Medical University, Foshan, China

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    Lihua Tong, Wen Yang, Xingxi Pan. (2019). Impact of the Patterns of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis on the Clinical Target Volume for the Radiotherapy Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research, 4(4), 34-37. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11

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    ACS Style

    Lihua Tong; Wen Yang; Xingxi Pan. Impact of the Patterns of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis on the Clinical Target Volume for the Radiotherapy Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Int. J. Clin. Oncol. Cancer Res. 2019, 4(4), 34-37. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11

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    AMA Style

    Lihua Tong, Wen Yang, Xingxi Pan. Impact of the Patterns of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis on the Clinical Target Volume for the Radiotherapy Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Int J Clin Oncol Cancer Res. 2019;4(4):34-37. doi: 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11,
      author = {Lihua Tong and Wen Yang and Xingxi Pan},
      title = {Impact of the Patterns of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis on the Clinical Target Volume for the Radiotherapy Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma},
      journal = {International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research},
      volume = {4},
      number = {4},
      pages = {34-37},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijcocr.20190404.11},
      abstract = {Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the patterns of retropharyngeal lymph node (RLN) metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and their impact on the clinical target volume (CTV) delineation in radiotherapy. Methods: A total of 190 patients with untreated, nonmetastatic NPC received MRI scans of the nasopharynx and neck before treatment. The imaging characteristics of RLN metastasis and their relationships with the staging system were analysed. Results: A total of 121 patients developed RLN metastasis. The incidence rate of RLN metastasis was 63.7%. The RLN metastases of the 121 patients were distributed evenly in the lateral group, and no lymph node metastasis was observed in the medial group. Among the 121 patients, there were 66 cases of unilateral metastasis (54.5%) and 55 cases of bilateral metastasis (45.5%). The central position of the lymph nodes was mainly distributed in the C1 vertebra region. The differences in the RLN metastasis rate between different T stages, N stages and clinical stages were statistically significant (all P<0.01). Conclusion: Medial RLN metastasis is rarely observed in NPC and therefore does not require routine prophylactic irradiation with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This is an important issue for future research.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Impact of the Patterns of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastasis on the Clinical Target Volume for the Radiotherapy Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
    AU  - Lihua Tong
    AU  - Wen Yang
    AU  - Xingxi Pan
    Y1  - 2019/10/31
    PY  - 2019
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11
    T2  - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research
    JF  - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research
    JO  - International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research
    SP  - 34
    EP  - 37
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2578-9511
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11
    AB  - Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the patterns of retropharyngeal lymph node (RLN) metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and their impact on the clinical target volume (CTV) delineation in radiotherapy. Methods: A total of 190 patients with untreated, nonmetastatic NPC received MRI scans of the nasopharynx and neck before treatment. The imaging characteristics of RLN metastasis and their relationships with the staging system were analysed. Results: A total of 121 patients developed RLN metastasis. The incidence rate of RLN metastasis was 63.7%. The RLN metastases of the 121 patients were distributed evenly in the lateral group, and no lymph node metastasis was observed in the medial group. Among the 121 patients, there were 66 cases of unilateral metastasis (54.5%) and 55 cases of bilateral metastasis (45.5%). The central position of the lymph nodes was mainly distributed in the C1 vertebra region. The differences in the RLN metastasis rate between different T stages, N stages and clinical stages were statistically significant (all P<0.01). Conclusion: Medial RLN metastasis is rarely observed in NPC and therefore does not require routine prophylactic irradiation with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This is an important issue for future research.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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