[Radiotherapy in the treatment of tumors of the nasopharynx in advanced stage].

This series consists of 25 patients affected with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in an advanced stage (T3-T4) treated at the Radiation Oncology department of the Institute of Radiology, University "La Sapienza", Rome, from 1978 through 1988. The patients were irradiated with X-rays produced by a LinAc with 4 MeV energy, for a total dose of 60/75 Gy on tumor and 50/60 Gy on nodes. In 7 cases radiation therapy was combined with chemotherapy. Actuarial survival at 60 months was 47%; patients with T3 cancer treated with a total tumor dose over 65 Gy showed a significant statistical increase of survival. Adjuvant chemotherapy did not produce statistically significant increase of survival. Radiation therapy was the treatment of choice in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in an advanced stage, whereas the role of chemotherapy remains questionable, even though a bad prognosis requires aggressive and combined treatment.