title: Phase II study of the combination of carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil in metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: A carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil (CF) chemotherapy protocol was designed to evaluate tumor response and toxicity in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Patients with metastatic NPC were treated with a maximum of eight courses of CF. Carboplatin was given at 300 mg/m2 by intravenous bolus on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil at 1 g/m2 per day by continuous infusion on days 1-3; cycles were repeated once every 3 weeks. A total of 42 patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. They received a median of 6 courses (range 2-8) of chemotherapy. The overall response rate was 38% (16/42), comprising 7 complete responses (CR, 17%) and 9 partial responses (PR, 21%). The median survival was 12.1 months (range 6-54.2 months). The treatment was well tolerated. Toxicity was mainly bone marrow suppression. There were four episodes of neutropenic fever, but no renal toxicity or treatment-related death was documented. The combination of carboplatin given at a fixed dose of 300 mg/m2 for 1 day and 5-fluorouracil given at 1 g/m2 per day for 3 days produced an objective response rate of 38% and tolerable side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil