Advanced Research On Re-irradiation Of Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Local and(or)regional recurrence is a common cause of the failure of primary radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.It remains a significant clinical problem.Re-irradiation is one of the most effective treatments of the recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.How to control the tumor and protect the surrounding normal tissue are the keys of re-irradiation.The present review summarizes the distribution of locally recurrence and regional recurrent lymph nodes and the advantages and disadvantages of radiation therapies(including conventional external beam radiotherapy,brachytherapy,stereotactic radiation therapy,proton beam and heavy ion therapy)and the outcomes.