title: Comparison of the short-term efficacy of two inductive chemotherapy regimens for locally advanced nasopharyngeal caricinoma: docetaxal plus carboplatin versus 5-fluorouracil plus carboplatin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The platinum-based chemotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is most frequently used for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the efficacy has been maintained at 50%-60%. Docetaxel is an effective drug for head and neck tumors, its administration is simple, and the administration time is short. This study was to compare the short-term efficacy and toxicity between TC regimen (inductive chemotherapy with docetaxol plus carboplatin) and FC regimen (5-FU plus carboplatin) in local advanced NPC so as to provide a new chemotherapeutic regimen for NPC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight local advanced NPC patients without previous treatment in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were randomly assigned to receive either TC or FC regimen inductive chemotherapy, followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with two cycles of carboplatin (AUC=6) plus radiotherapy of 60-78 Gy to the nasopharynx and 60-70 Gy to the neck. The short-term efficacy and adverse events were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More chemotherapy cycles were finished in TC group than in FC group (3.31 vs. 2.83, P = 0.043). There was no significant difference in short-term efficacy and 1-year survival rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). More grades 3-4 neutropenia appeared in TC group than in FC group (72.4% vs. 37.9%, P < 0.05) , whereas less thrombocytopenia and emesis occurred in TC than in FC group (P = 0.013 and 0.018, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short-term efficacy of TC regimen in local advanced NPC is similar to that of FC regimen with tolerable adverse events. But the long-term outcomes and toxicities need to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, P. R. China. yanqun.xiang@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ming-Huang
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Qiu-Yan
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yan-Qun
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Xiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; 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; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D016190:Carboplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil