Delayed post-irradiation bulbar palsy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Chew, N K; Sim, B F; Tan, C T; Goh, K J; Ramli, N; Umapathi, P · Neurology · 2001

retrospective_cohort · Level III

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Abstract

In a hospital series of 70 patients on follow-up after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 14 patients (20%) developed delayed post-irradiation bulbar palsy 1 to 18 years after radiotherapy (mean 5.5 years). Functional disability was moderate to severe. Three patients had aspiration pneumonia with one mortality. Post-irradiation bulbar palsy was a common complication and probably resulted from direct neuronal damage.

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