Short term toxicity profile for 32 sinonasal cancer patients treated with IMRT. Can we avoid dry eye syndrome?

Abstract

Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was given for 32 patients with M0 sinonasal cancer, with a median follow-up of 15 months. Acute toxicity was mucositis grades 1-2 in 28 patients and grade 3 in four patients. No corneal injury was observed, except in one patient where it was present before the start of IMRT. Conjunctivitis and dry eye symptoms were mild (no grade 3-4 toxicity) and no evolution to dry eye syndrome was observed. We conclude that high dose conformality of IMRT results in mild acute toxicity and that IMRT allows avoiding dry eye syndrome by its ability to create concave dose distributions which avoid the main lacrimal glands. Follow-up it too short to evaluate local control, optic nerve or retinal toxicity.