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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosis is often made at a locally advanced stage (75 to 90% of cases) due to its deep localization. Concomitant radio-chemotherapy is the cornerstone of the treatment of locally advanced forms. The advent of intensity-modulated radiotherapy has improved oncological outcomes and reduced toxicity and is currently the gold standard for irradiation technique. For the locally advanced stage, the addition of induction chemotherapy has become the new standard care according to the latest international recommendations to reduce tumor volumes and act early on micro-metastases. Despite these therapeutic advances, the local and especially distant failure rate remains high. This article reviews current treatment strategies and discuss new approaches and perspectives of locoregional and systemic treatment to reduce treatment failures., (Copyright © 2022 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The pre- and post-induction chemotherapy tumor volumes of nasopharyngeal carcinomas may be prognostic indicators for adapting the therapeutic strategy. The objective of our study is to assess the prognostic impact of pre- and post-induction chemotherapy volumes in patients treated for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas., Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study including 52 patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with 3 courses of induction chemotherapy (TPF) followed by intensity modulated radiotherapy associated with concomitant chemotherapy., Results: The median initial and post induction chemotherapy total volumes were 92.3 and 41.5mL, respectively. At 3 years, the LRFS, DMFS, DFS and OS were respectively 85.9%, 63.5%, 56.8% and 67.8%. In multivariate study, the combination of a high initial volume (>100mL) and post-chemotherapy volume (>35mL) was an independent factor for LRFS, DMFS, DFS and OS. The total baseline volume had a better predictive prognostic value for DFS and OS than the TNM classification (8th edition 2017)., Conclusion: The prognostic weight of tumor and nodal volumes was greater than the TNM classification (8th edition). The pre- and post-chemotherapy tumor volumes allow selecting a high-risk patients' subgroup "high initial and post chemotherapy volumes" in which it would be advisable to offer more intensive treatment regimens., (Copyright © 2022 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) are relatively common in the Mediterranean basin. Survival has been greatly improved by new radiation techniques and new molecular-targeted chemotherapy. The purpose of our study was to analyze the therapeutic outcomes and to describe the prognostic factors of NPCs., Methods: we conducted a retrospective study of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma on treatment and follow-up in our department between January 1995 and December 2014. Data were collected using a standardized sheet. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine patient´s overall survival., Results: seventy-three cases of NPC were reported. The average age of patients was 48 years. A male predominance was noted. The majority of cancers (56%) were locally advanced tumors (T3-T4). After an average follow-up of 45.5 months, the rate of locoregional recurrences was 19.4%. Three patients (4%) had bone metastases. Five-year overall survival was 65%. Factors positively influencing overall survival were early-stage tumor (TNM classification) and 1.8 Gy single fraction radiotherapy. Local and lymph node recurrence rates were 13.8% and 5.5% respectively, mainly for T4 N2 tumors. Therapeutic sequelae were dominated by seromucous otitis (42.7%), trismus (38.7%), and xerostomia (32%)., Conclusion: overall survival in patients with NPC has improved, in particular with the advent of concomitant radiotherapy and chemotherapy; however, disabling late toxicity is significant. Good prognostic factors reported in this study include early tumor stage as well as radiotherapy fractionation., Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d´intérêts., (Copyright: Amel El Korbi et al.)

Modern high-precision radiotherapy techniques have recently incorporated the notion of anatomical variations of the patient during treatment and have tried to adapt the treatment planning to them. Adaptive radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal tumors is starting to prove its benefit nowadays. His interest is constantly being evaluated. The variations encountered during the treatment are both geometric and dosimetric. They are represented by a reduction in the macroscopic tumors volume, a change in its position and a consequent dosimetric impact. The changes also concern organs at risk with a reduction of glandular structure volumes, and a different position which increases their doses. Delivered doses to noble structures (brainstem and spinal cord) may also increase. However, difficulties are encountered in its realization. There is a problem to perfectly reproduce the patient position during the second acquisition, which impacts the fusion quality between the two CT scans. This generates an imprecision in the definition of the same treatment isocentre on the second scanner. Also, there is a difficulty in accumulated doses calculation. The indication of adaptive radiotherapy remains a subject of controversy. It should be proposed for a subgroup of patients who could benefit from this new strategy. We present here an update on the state of the art of adaptive radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal cancer., (Copyright © 2020 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: We report in this study, the dosimetric and carcinologic results of intensity-modulated technique for the reirradiation of nasopharyngeal carcinomas., Patients and Methods: Eight patients reirradiated with intensity-modulation technique between January 2015 and December 2017 were included. We noted for each patient: the minimum, maximum and average doses, the dose received by 95% (D95%), 98% (D98%) and 2% (D2%) of the volume to be irradiated, the homogeneity and conformity indices and doses to the organs at risk., Results: Target volume coverage was satisfactory with a median of D95% greater than 57Gy (95% of the prescribed dose). The median maximum dose received by the spinal cord and brainstem were 8.2Gy and 18.25Gy, respectively. After a median follow-up of 14.5 months [1-29 months], five patients were in complete remission of their disease. Overall survival at 2 years was 66.7%. An increase in preexisting late toxicity after the first irradiation (now grade 2 or above) was found in four patients (50% of cases)., Conclusion: Intensity-modulation is an attractive technique for reirradiation of the nasopharynx. It allows a better conformity of the dose to the target and a reduction of the doses on the already irradiated critical organs. This offers good control of the disease with fewer severe late toxicities., (Copyright © 2018 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)