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. 2023 Mar 21;18:55. doi: 10.1186/s13014-023-02199-3

Table 2.

Risk classification of local recurrence at various anatomic sites and recommended delineation of clinical target volume

T1-2(N = 33) T3-4(N = 19)
Anatomic sites No Percentage Risk of recurrence Anatomic sites No Percentage Risk of recurrence
Levator veli palatine muscle 26 78.8% High Levator veli palatine muscle 14 73.7% High
Nasopharynx 25 75.8% Nasopharynx 14 73.7%
Prevertebral muscle 24 72.7% Prevertebral muscle 11 57.9%
Tensor veli palatine muscle 20 60.6% Tensor veli palatine muscle 11 57.9%
Retropharyngeal lymph node 20 60.6% Foramen lacerum 11 57.9%
Foramen lacerum 17 51.5% Posterior Nasal cavity 10 52.6%
Bottom of sphenoid sinus 17 51.5% Great wing of sphenoid bone 9 47.4%
Pterygoid process 14 42.4% Bottom of sphenoid sinus 9 47.4%
Great wing of sphenoid bone 11 33.3% Pterygoid process 8 42.1%
Parapharyngeal space 11 33.3% Petrous apex 8 42.1%
Sphenoid sinus 10 30.3% Clivus 8 42.1%
Petrous apex 8 24.2% Median Retropharyngeal lymph node 7 36.8%
Posterior Nasal cavity 7 21.2% Pterygopalatine fossa 7 36.8%
Jugular Foramen 7 21.2% Parapharyngeal Space 6 31.6%
Clivus 6 18.2% Sphenoid sinus 6 31.6%
Pterygopalatine fossa 6 18.2% Jugular Foramen 5 26.3% Median
Medial pterygoid muscle 6 18.2% Posterior ethmoid sinusa 4 21.1%
Foramen ovale 6 18.2% Hypoglossal canala 4 21.1%
Foramen rotundum 4 12.1% Low Lateral pterygoid musclea 4 21.1%
Posterior ethmoid sinus 3 9.1% Foramen rotunduma 3 15.8%
Inferior orbital fissure 3 9.1% Inferior orbital fissurea 3 15.8%
Anterior ethmoid sinus 3 9.1% Cavernous sinusa 3 15.8%
Oropharynx 2 6.1% Medial pterygoid muscleb 2 10.5% Low
Anterior Nasal cavity 2 6.1% Orbit 2 10.5%
Frontal sinus 2 6.1% Foramen ovaleb 1 5.3%
Hypoglossal canal 1 3.0% Anterior ethmoid sinus 1 5.3%
Lateral pterygoid muscle 1 3.0% Oropharynx 1 5.3%
Cavernous sinus 1 3.0% Anterior Nasal cavity 1 5.3%
Orbit 1 3.0% Maxillary sinus 1 5.3%
Maxillary sinus 1 3.0% Cervical vertebrae 1 5.3%
Cervical vertebrae 0 0.0% Frontal sinus 0 0.0%
Infratemporal fossa 0 0.0% Infratemporal fossa 0 0.0%
Hypopharynx 0 0.0% Hypopharynx 0 0.0%

The anatomic sties with median or high risk should be included in the contouring of CTV

aThe possibility of invasion of these structures was higher in cases with T3-4 (≥ 15%) than cases with T1-2 (< 15%). These anatomic structures were recommended to be included in CTV in locally advanced cases (T3-4)

bAlthough the possibility of invasion of these structures was low in T3-4 cases (< 15%), they were recommended to be included due to median risk of involvement in early-stage diseases (T1-2)