Comparison of Sinusitis Complication between Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy and Two-dimensional Conventional Radiotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients

Objective To compare the sinusitis complication of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) with those of Two-Dimensional Conventional Radiotherapy (2D-CRT) in the treatment of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to determine whether IMRT can reduce the sinusitis of NPC patients after radiotherapy. Methods A retrospective review of data from 210 patients,treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from June,2006 to June,2010 was made.The sinusitis were diagnosed by MRI.All patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were diagnosed by pathology.Of 210 NPC patients,108 were treated by IMRT(IMRT group) and 102 by 2D-CRT(2D-CRT group). Results All patients were followed-up 1 to 42 months and the median time was 9 months.IMRT group(72.2%)had a significantly lower occurrence rate of sinusitis than 2D-CRT group(84.3%)(P<0.05),and especially in T3+T4 patients in IMRT group(68.3%) compared with 2D-CRT group(87.2%)(P<0.05).The occurrence rates of sinusitis of Maxillary sinusitis,ethmoid sinusitis,sphenoid sinusitis,frontal sinusitis in IMRT group were 62.0%,47.8%,40.7%,19.4% and 2D-CRT group were 52.9%,53.9%,32.4%,8.9%,respectively.Occurrence rate of frontal sinusitis in IMRT group washigher than that in 2D-CRT group(19.4% vs.8.9%,P<0.05). Conclusion sIntensity modulated radiotherapy was able to reduce the radioactive sinusitis,especially T3 and T4,although with a higher prevalence of frontal sinus.