Factors affecting target volume in adaptive radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Objective To investigate the relationships of pre-radiotherapy body weight,gender,age,EBVDNA,hemoglobin,plasma albumin,and induction chemotherapy regimen with the changes of target area and lymph node volume in adaptive radiotherapy,so as to provide a reference for the timing and population selection of adaptive radiotherapy.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 34 patients who received the first course of radiotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2022 to November 2022.All patients underwent CT scans again after 20 sessions of radiotherapy for developing the secondary radiotherapy plans.The body weight,gender,age,tumor stage,hemoglobin,plasma albumin,induction chemotherapy regimen,and EBVDNA were collected.Results The tumor volume reduction in the primary focus was more evident in patients with pre-treatment plasma albumin≥40 g/L than in those with pre-treatment plasma albumin<40 g/L(t=3.971,P=0.001),and in patients with pretreatment EBVDNA≤4000 copies/mL than in those with pretreatment EBVDNA>4000 copies/mL(t=4.080,P=0.001).Pearson analysis showed that GTVnx volume difference was positively correlated with pre-radiotherapy GTVnx volume(r=0.444,P=0.009),right parotid gland volume difference(r=0.737,P<0.001),left parotid gland volume difference(r=0.435,P=0.010),and hemoglobin(r=0.722,P<0.001).Conclusion The reduction in tumor volume during radiotherapy is more pronounced in nasopharyngeal cancer patients with normal plasma albumin level and those with pretreatment EBVDNA≤4000 copies/mL.The pre-radiotherapy treatment volume of primary focus,parotid gland volume change before and after radiotherapy,and pre-radiotherapy EBVDNA,hemoglobin and plasma albumin levels can be used to predict the degree of tumor volume shrinkage during radiotherapy,providing a reference for the selection of the timing of adaptive radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomaadaptive radiotherapytarget area volumeinfluencing factor