Effect of relevant factors on radiation‐induced nasopharyngeal ulcer in patients with primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity‐modulated radiation therapy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between relevant factors and radiation‐induced nasopharyngeal ulcer (RINU) in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). METHODS: Clinical data were collected for 599 patients with newly diagnosed NPC who had completed IMRT. The entire cohort was randomly divided into two subgroups. The relationship between RINU and IMRT dose‐volume were statistically analyzed with ROC curves and the Chi‐square test. Nutritional status during and after treatment was compared between patients with vs without RINU. RESULTS: The results obtained showed that dose‐volume had no effect on the incidence of RINU (P > .05). Nutrition‐related parameters differed significantly between patients with vs without RINU (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The results obtained show that the incidence of RINU is not related to IMRT dose‐volume in the treatment of primary NPC. The incidence of RINU was found to be related to nutritional status during and after radiation therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2a