title: Combined chemo-radiotherapy for stage IV undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a chemosensitive lesion, but its role in the management of local advanced disease is under investigation. Twenty-seven untreated stage IV undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were treated with radiotherapy (median dose, 66.6 Gy, 1.8 Gy/day) and concomitant cisplatin (100 mg/m2 days 1, 22 and 43). After 4 weeks, patients received, every 4 weeks, 3 cycles with cisplatin (80 mg/m2 day 1) + 5-fluorouracil (1,000 mg/m2/day continuous infusion for 96 h). After radiotherapy, we observed 74% complete responses and 26% partial responses; after adjuvant chemotherapy 96% had a complete and 4% a partial response. After a median follow-up of 36 months, 81% of the patients were alive (70% with no evidence of disease). Four-year overall and disease-free survival was 70% and 60%, respectively. Concomitant chemotherapy plus radiotherapy was well tolerated, whereas adjuvant chemotherapy was more toxic. Long-term results were significantly better than those observed with radiotherapy alone.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Oncologico, Ospedale San Giovanni AS, Ospedale Giovanni Bosco, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gabriele
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Airoldi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beatrice
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Trotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002945:Cisplatin