Efficacy and survival rate of intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy for elderly patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer

The efficacy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of elderly patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer and its effect on survival rate were studied. Elderly patients (n=150) diagnosed with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer by histopathology were selected and randomly divided into the observation group (n=75) and the control group (n=75). Patients in the observation group were treated with IMRT combined with chemotherapy, while those in the control group were treated with conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The two groups were treated with docetaxel + cisplatin (TP regimen). All patients received 1 to 2 cycles of docetaxel + cisplatin-induced chemotherapy, and after the radiotherapy began, the chemotherapy with docetaxel was synchronously conducted. The recent efficacy (tumor regression condition was observed at 3 months after the treatment), 1-year, 3-year and 5-year overall survival (OS), local-regional control (LRC), progression-free survival (PFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and the incidence rate of adverse reactions of patients in the two groups were compared. In the observation group, 73 patients completed the radiotherapy and chemotherapy, while all the patients in the control group completed the treatments. The 1-year OS of the observation group and the control group was 97.3 and 85.3%, respectively. In the observation group, the 3-year LRC, OS, PFS and DFS of the observation group was 94.5, 91.8, 90.4 and 87.7%, respectively; the 5-year LRC, OS, PFS and DFS was 64.4, 56.2, 56.2 and 54.8%, respectively. In the control group, the 3-year LRC, OS, PFS and DFS was 86.7, 73.3, 82.7 and 68.0%, respectively; the 5-year LRC, OS, PFS and DFS were 54.7, 45.3, 44.0 and 56.7%, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In the observation group, the number of leukocytes was decreased, and the incidence rates of acute oropharyngeal mucosa reaction and radiation dermatitis were significantly lower than those in the control group. The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, IMRT combined with chemotherapy can improve the OS and the 3-year and 5-year LRC, PFS and DFS of elderly patients with locally advanced oropharyngeal cancer, reduce toxic and side effects, and improve patients' quality of life.