title: Efficacy and feasibility of cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Demizu
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soejima
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruta
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Eisaku
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoden
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ejima
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nibu
authors.forename: Kazuro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimura
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil