Treatment outcomes of intensity‐modulated radiotherapy versus 3D conformal radiotherapy for patients with maxillary sinus cancer in the postoperative setting

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared the treatment outcomes of postoperative 3D conformal radiotherapy (RT) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for patients with maxillary sinus carcinoma. METHODS: Fifty-four patients underwent surgery and postoperative RT, of whom 27 (50%) had squamous cell carcinoma and 14 (26%) had adenoid cystic carcinoma. Nineteen patients (35%) were treated with IMRT and 35 patients (65%) received 3D conformal RT. The median radiation dose for 3D conformal RT and IMRT were 62.1 and 63 Gy, respectively. RESULTS: IMRT produced significantly superior radiation dose distribution to planning target volumes (PTVs) than 3D conformal RT. Over a median follow-up of 60 months, IMRT provided better 3-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (89.2% vs 59.5%; p = .035) and distant metastasis-free survival (94.7% vs 55.3%; p = .042) rates than 3D conformal RT. CONCLUSION: Postoperative IMRT for patients with maxillary sinus carcinoma resulted in excellent disease control, and should be considered as the first treatment option in these cases.