Authors
Wenxi Wu, Chao Li, Zongwei Huang, Ying Li, Xinyi Hong, Xiaoyong Liu, Yuxing Yu, Peidong Ou, Sufang Qiu, Fengjie Lin
Published in
iScience. Volume 29. Issue 9. Pages 117124. Sep 18, 2026. Epub Aug 13, 2026.
Abstract
This study examines the prognostic impact of radiotherapy interruptions (RTIs) on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), comparing outcomes between continuous and interrupted radiotherapy (RT). A retrospective cohort of 2,059 patients with NPC treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) from 2017 to 2019 was analyzed. Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and log rank tests. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) determined optimal thresholds for radiation treatment time (RTT) and RTT deviation (ΔRTT). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models identified independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), and distant metastasis failure-free survival (DMFFS). RPA established RTT and ΔRTT thresholds of 50 and 7 days, respectively; exceeding either threshold was associated with significantly inferior outcomes across all endpoints. Multivariate analysis confirmed ΔRTT as an independent prognostic factor for all endpoints (p < 0.05), with a significant interaction observed between ΔRTT and interruption frequency. In the IMRT era, ΔRTT ≥7 days is a critical adverse prognostic determinant in NPC; multiple RT interruptions further compromise survival, particularly with prolonged treatment duration.
PMID:
42633219
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 23 Aug 2026.
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