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Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of late-onset pneumonia in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy. Methods. Data were retrieved from the National Health Institute Research Database of Taiwan. We identified patients diagnosed with NPC (International Classification of Disease 9th revision-Clinical Modification [ICD-9- CM] code 147) from January 2005 to December 2008 who received curative radiotherapy as the study cohort. Incidences of pneumonia and related sequelae after 90 days of radiotherapy were calculated. Results. A total of 3814 patients were enrolled in this study and 210 (5.5%) had late-onset pneumonia. The correlation coefficient between pneumonia and tube feeding was 0.332 (p<.001). The hazard ratio of pneumonia was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.57-1.15) between patients with and without chemotherapy, and was 2.37 (95% CI=1.73-3.24) between patients with and without re-radiation. Conclusion. Late-onset pneumonia is not uncommon in patients with NPC after radiotherapy. The risks of associated sequelae and mortality cannot be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Li2 O- ZnO- B2 O3 ( LZB) glass addition on densification and dielectric properties of Ba4( Nd0.85 Bi0.15)9.33 Ti18 O54 ( BNBT) have been investigated. At a given ratio of ZnO/ B2 O3, the glass softening point decreases, but the thermal expansion coefficient and dielectric constant increase with increasing Li2 O content in the LZB glass. With 10 vol% LZB glass, the densification temperature reduces greatly from 1300°C for pure BNBT to 875°C-900°C for BNBT + LZB dielectric, and the densification enhancement becomes more significant with increasing Li2 O content in the LZB glass. The above result is attributed to a chemical reaction taking place at the interface of LZB/ BNBT during firing, which becomes less extensive with increasing Li2 O content in the LZB glass. Therefore, more residual LZB glass, which acts as a densification promoter to BNBT, is left with increasing Li2 O content. For the LZB glass with a Li2 O content in the range 10-30 mol%, the resulting 90 vol% BNBT + 10 vol% LZB microwave dielectric has a dielectric constant of 55-70, product ( Q × fr) of quality factor ( Q) and resonant frequency ( fr) of 1000-3000 GHz at 5-5.79 GHz, and a temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τf) of 10-60 ppm/°C in the temperature range between 25°C and 80°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to confirm the relation between plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA (pEBV DNA) load and treatment outcomes after long-term follow-up in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: In total, 210 patients with NPC were enrolled, including 99 previously reported patients and 111 new patients. They prospectively received treatment with induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy and were followed for at least 6 years. In these patients, pEBV DNA levels were measured before treatment and 1 week after treatment. The plasma viral load was correlated with treatment outcomes in the group of new patients and in the entire group. RESULTS: By using previously defined pEBV DNA cutoff values (1500 copies/mL pretreatment and 0 copies/mL post-treatment), there was a significant correlation between the pEBV DNA value and relapse-free survival, overall survival, and subsequent relapse rates in the new, independent patient cohort. Outcome analyses for the entire group revealed a higher relapse rate (45.6% vs 21.5% [ P = .0037] or 76.7% vs 26.1% [ P < .0001]), a worse relapse-free survival rate (56.5% vs 79.3% [ P < .0001] or 23.3% vs 75.6% [ P < .0001]), and poorer overall survival (59.2% vs 86% [ P = .0003] or 33.3% vs 79.4% [ P < .0001]) in patients who had high pretreatment or persistently detectable post-treatment pEBV DNA levels, respectively, versus their respective counterparts. Multivariate Cox analysis also confirmed these results. CONCLUSIONS: In this expanded study, the prognostic significance of pEBV DNA was confirmed using predefined cutoff values in an independent patient group, and pEBV DNA was identified as an independent prognostic marker for NPC. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The authors investigated the clinical implication of plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA assay and 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in the detection of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Two hundred forty-five patients with NPC who had previously received treatment and were in a state of remission were monitored prospectively using a plasma EBV DNA assay every 3 to 6 months. 18F-FDG PET studies were obtained when abnormal EBV DNA or clinically suggestive signs of recurrence were noted. RESULTS: Thirty-six of 245 patients (14.7%) patients had abnormal EBV DNA tests and underwent PET scans. In the remaining 209 patients, 3658 blood tests were negative. PET scans also were obtained in 5 patients who had undetectable EBV DNA levels but signs that were clinically suggestive of disease recurrence. Subsequent analyses focused on 41 patients who had PET studies. In lesion-based analyses, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of PET by visual interpretation were 81.8%, 77.1%, and 79.2%, respectively, for all 125 lesions. In patient-based analyses, the accuracy of PET by visual interpretation was 51.2%. All 36 patients who had detectable plasma levels of EBV DNA had demonstrable NPC recurrences, whereas no recurrences were noted in 5 patients who had undetectable EBV DNA levels but signs that clinically mimicked a recurrence. Compared with annual PET, the annual cost of blood tests every 3 to 6 months per patient saved approximately 77% ∼ 88% in expenses. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma EBV DNA assay correctly predicted all NPC recurrences, and PET had high capacity to localize potential lesion sites. The authors concluded that applying the strategy of EBV DNA screening followed by PET scanning may guide appropriate further treatment planning in a cost-effective manner. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]