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

Lihua Tong; Wen Yang; Xingxi Pan

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11

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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

Lihua Tong, Wen Yang, Xingxi Pan

Published in International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research (Volume 4, Issue 4)

Received: 3 June 2019 Accepted: 8 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.

Published in	International Journal of Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research (Volume 4, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijcocr.20190404.11
Page(s)	34-37
Creative Commons	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), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

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

References

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APA Style

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://article.sciencepublishinggroup.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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Author Information

Lihua Tong

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

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

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

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APA Style

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://article.sciencepublishinggroup.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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