Efficacy and feasibility of cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy and feasibility of a cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) protocol based on Intergroup Study 0099 for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
Sixteen patients with stage II-IVB NPC were treated with a protocol of cisplatin-based concurrent CRT and adjuvant chemotherapy from 1998 to 2002. Three courses of cisplatin (80 mg/m2) were scheduled during 70 Gy of radiotherapy (RT), and two agents of adjuvant chemotherapy (FP regimen: cisplatin 80 mg/m2 and 5-fluorouracil 800 mg/m2/day by 4-day continuous infusion) were challenged. Overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method.


RESULTS
Median follow-up duration was 45 months. Both 3-year OS and RFS rates were 81%. Proportions of patients who tolerated each scheduled treatment were 94% for RT, 63% for concurrent chemotherapy and 38% for adjuvant chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Our protocol of the cisplatin-based concurrent CRT followed by adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of FP regimen was effective for Japanese patients with NPC. However, the doses and numbers of cycle of chemotherapy need to be modified because of the low compliance rate. Larger numbers of data accumulation and/or multi-institutional trials may be warranted to confirm the efficacy of this protocol.
Demizu
Yusuke
Y
Division of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
Sasaki
Ryohei
R
Soejima
Toshinori
T
Maruta
Tsutomu
T
Okamoto
Yoshiaki
Y
Yamada
Kazunari
K
Yoden
Eisaku
E
Ejima
Yasuo
Y
Ota
Yosuke
Y
Ishida
Haruhiko
H
Nibu
Kenichi
K
Sugimura
Kazuro
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003680:Deglutition Disorders; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015996:Survival Rate
D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil