BACKGROUND: This prospective study was conducted to evaluate and compare the efficacies of nasopharyngoscopy and CT scan in the diagnosis of local failure of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for @entity189 . METHODS: Total 52 @entity1 of histopathologically proven @entity189 treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), were included in this study. For every @entity1 computed tomography (CT), nasopharyngoscopy and nasopharyngeal biopsies were performed 3 months after completion of EBRT. RESULTS: Three months after completion of EBRT, 9 @entity1 (17.3%) had evident disease on histological examination of biopsies. Nasopharyngoscopy showed 77.78% sensitivity, 93.03% specificity, 70% positive predictive value and 95.24% negative predictive value in diagnosing the residual/recurrence of @entity5 . There was statistically significant agreement between the endoscopic findings and the histological findings (Kappa reliability coefficient=0.562, p<0.01). On the other hand, CT scan showed a 55.56% sensitivity, 39.53% specificity, 16.13% positive predictive value and 80.95% negative predictive value in diagnosing the @entity41 /recurrence. There was no statistically significant agreement between the CT scan findings and the histological findings (Kappa reliability coefficient = 0.038, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Nasopharyngoscopy should be considered the primary follow-up tool after radiotherapy of @entity189 . CT scan should be reserved for @entity1 with histological or any symptomatic indications. Routine postnasal biopsies are not required.

Diagnosis of post-radiotherapy local failures in XXXX : a prospective institutional study.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor'] @entity189 :: ('MESH:D002277', 'Disease') :: ['nasopharyngeal carcinoma'] @entity41 :: ('MESH:D018365', 'Disease') :: ['residual tumor']
@entity189 :: (MESH:D002277,Disease) :: ['nasopharyngeal carcinoma']
