NASOPHARYNGEAL ANGIOFIBROMA

DOES TUMOR STAGE INFLUENCE RECURRENCE IN NASOPHARYNGEAL ANGIOFIBROMA?

Abstract

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is an uncommon tumor constituting
less than 1% of all head & neck tumors. Tumor has an aggressive local behavior if left untreated.
Surgery is the mainstay of treatment with no common consensus on a single approach. Tumour
stage and surgical approaches are the major determinants of tumour recurrence. Objectives:
To evaluate the influence of stage of tumor in recurrence in nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.
Study Design: Descriptive study. Setting: Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery,
PIMS, Islamabad and Ayub medical institution, Abbottabad. Period: Jan 2010 to Jan 2014.
Materials and Methods: Consisting of 34 diagnosed cases of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.
CT-scan was done in all patients and were treated surgically except one patient who was
irradiated. All patients were followed up for one year. Results: Among 34 patients, 24 patients
were classified as stage III, 4 were in stage II and 5 were in stage IVa and one in stage IVb. 17.6%
(6/34) of patients had disease recurrence. Stage IVb was treated by radiotherapy while the rest
were treated surgically. Patients were followed up for one year both by clinical examination
and imaging. Recurrence was found in 5 operated patients and residual disease in stage IV
b. 1 (20%) patient of stage Iva disease and 4 (16%) patients of stage III disease had disease
recurrence. Conclusion: Disease recurrence/ residual is directly related to the tumour stage in
nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.