A randomized trial on addition of concurrent-adjuvant chemotherapy and/or accelerated fractionation for locally-advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the therapeutic benefits by adding chemotherapy (+C) and/or accelerated-fractionation (AF) for patients with T3-4N0-1M0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
From 1999 to 2004, 189 eligible patients were randomized to one of four treatment groups (CF/CF+C/AF/AF+C). The number of fractions/week was 5 for the CF groups and 6 for the AF groups. Patients in the +C groups were given concurrent cisplatin plus adjuvant cisplatin and fluorouracil.


RESULTS
The AF+C group achieved significantly higher failure-free rate (88% at 5-year) than the CF group (63%; p=0.013), the AF group (56%; p=0.001) and the CF+C group (65%; p=0.027). As compared with CF alone, the increase in late toxicity was statistically insignificant (36% vs. 20%; p=0.25). Deaths due to cancer progression decreased (7% vs. 33%; p=0.011) but deaths due to incidental causes increased (9% vs. 2%; p=0.62). Improvement in overall survival reached borderline significance (85% vs. 66%; p=0.058).


CONCLUSIONS
Concurrent-adjuvant chemotherapy combined with AF significantly reduced failure and cancer-specific deaths. Although the increase in major late toxicity and incidental deaths were statistically insignificant, a subtle increase in non-cancer deaths narrowed the overall survival gain.
Department of Clinical Oncology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, China. awmlee@ha.org.hk
Anne W M
AW
Lee
Stewart Y
SY
Tung
Anthony T C
AT
Chan
Rick
R
Chappell
Yiu-Tung
YT
Fu
Tai-Xiang
TX
Lu
Terence
T
Tan
Daniel T T
DT
Chua
Brian
B
O'Sullivan
Raymond
R
Tung
Wai-Tong
WT
Ng
To-Wai
TW
Leung
Sing-Fai
SF
Leung
Stephen
S
Yau
Chong
C
Zhao
Eng-Huat
EH
Tan
Gordon K H
GK
Au
Lillian
L
Siu
Ka-Kit
KK
Fung
Wai-Hon
WH
Lau
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010349:Patient Compliance
D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil