Open AccessHearing Loss in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma after Chemotherapy and Radiation
Author(s) -
Wang LingFeng,
Kuo WenRei,
Ho KuenYao,
Lee KaWo,
Lin ChihShin
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the kaohsiung journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.439
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2410-8650
pISSN - 1607-551X
DOI - 10.1016/s1607-551x(09)70466-8
Subject(s) - medicine , nasopharyngeal carcinoma , hearing loss , audiology , bone conduction , sensorineural hearing loss , absolute threshold of hearing , otitis , radiation therapy , chemotherapy , surgery
In light of the possible adverse effects of radiation on hearing, we conducted a study to evaluate the long‐term sensorineural hearing status following radiotherapy (RT) in patients suffering from nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Audiologic examinations were performed at regular intervals before and after RT. We also analyzed the effects of age, chemotherapy, pre‐RT hearing status, and post‐RT otitis media with effusion (OME) on post‐RT hearing change. A total of 150 patients (261 ears) were enrolled in this study and followed up for a mean of 43.8 months. After RT, 8.9‐28.8% of ears had at least a 10 dB loss in bone conduction threshold at speech frequency, which was defined as an average of hearing threshold at 0.5 kHz, 1 kHz, and 2 kHz, while the percentage was 18‐34.2% at 4 kHz. Patient age was related to these changes at speech frequency, and the presence of post‐RT OME was related to significant loss at both speech frequency and 4 kHz. Pre‐RT hearing status and chemotherapy did not influence hearing change. To sum up, sensorineural hearing loss began as early as after completion of RT. Early changes may be transient, but the effect of radiation on hearing tended to be chronic and progressive.