Prognostic factors in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in Hospital Kuala Lumpur

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is the third most common cancer among men in Peninsular Malaysia. However, no information is available about the prognostic factors. The objective of this study was to identify factors with an influence on outcome in patients treated in Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

METHODS: A total of 159 patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated during 2002-2003 in Hospital Kuala Lumpur were included in this study. All received radiotherapy. Fifty three patients were treated with radiotherapy alone, while 106 patients received combination chemotherapy. Overall survival and local recurrence-free survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate analysis was performed using the log-rank test.

RESULTS: This study found out that 5-year overall survival and 5-year local recurrence-free survival rates were 58.6% and 54.2% respectively. The stage specific 5-year overall survival rates were: Stage I, 100%; Stage II; 93.3%, Stage III, 62.7%; Stage IVA, 42.2%; and Stage IVB, 40.6%. On univariate analysis, gender (p<0.05), T-classification (p<0.001), N-classification (p<0.05), stage (p<0.05) and cranial nerve involvement (p<0.001) were found to be significant prognostic factors for 5-year overall survival, while gender (p<0.05) and N-classification (p<0.05) were significant prognostic factors for 5-year local recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSION: The overall survival rate of patients for this study was low. The patient factor that significantly affected 5-year overall survival was gender, while disease factors were stage, T-classification, N-classification and cranial nerve involvement.