Experts introduce common methods of radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a highly malignant tumor that is very likely to recur, so the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is also very difficult. Generally, radiotherapy is the treatment method of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The following experts will introduce the treatment methods of nasopharyngeal carcinoma to us in detail.

The treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is generally radiotherapy. The main methods of radiotherapy are:

1. Intensity modulated radiotherapy: At present, the use of intensity modulated radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma is still in the exploratory stage. Conformal radiotherapy greatly improves the fit between the high-dose distribution area and the three-dimensional shape of the tumor area compared with conventional external irradiation.

2. Stereotactic radiotherapy: Stereotactic radiotherapy, also known as X-knife, uses a high-energy linear accelerator to generate an X-ray beam, which is used to rotate and irradiate the irradiated area with multiple small fields and equal centers. The advantage of this method is that it can strictly protect the important organs near the nasopharynx from being exposed to or from radiation, and at the same time, the tumor site can receive the maximum possible dose, so as to effectively kill tumor cells.

3. Intranasopharyngeal afterloading radiotherapy: A high-dose rate micro-iridium source (198Ir) is used, and a computer-controlled motor correctly delivers the radioactive source to the irradiated area. The treatment planning system makes an individualized plan design, and the efficacy is confirmed. At present, for early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma, high-dose rate brachytherapy can be used after a certain dose of conventional external irradiation, or when there are relatively limited residual or recurrent lesions in the nasopharyngeal wall after radical external irradiation, high-dose rate brachytherapy can be used to increase the amount of radiotherapy, and better results can be obtained.

4. Conventional external irradiation: High-energy rays are often used for treatment, such as gamma rays produced by a cobalt therapy machine or high-energy X-rays produced by a medical linear accelerator. For neck irradiation, radiation with lower penetration, namely electron rays, can be used.

The above is the treatment method for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Through the introduction of experts, I believe you have a certain understanding of the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. If you have any questions about the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, please consult our online experts.

For more information, please visit the nasopharyngeal carcinoma disease special topic at http://www..com.cn/zhongliu/bya/ or consult an expert for free. The expert will then give a detailed answer based on the patient's specific situation.