title: Combined chemotherapy with cisplatin, docetaxel and capecitabine for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combined chemotherapy with docetaxel, capecitabine and cisplatin (TXP) in the treatment of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective analysis involved 22 patients with metastatic NPC receiving treatment with the TXP regimen. The patients were given docetaxel at 60 mg/m² on day 1, cisplatin at 20 mg/m² on days 1-3, and capecitabine at 1 250 mg/m² on days 1-14, and the treatment cycle was repeated ever 3 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 22 patients, 14 (63%) achieved partial remission, 2 (9%) had complete remission, and 5 (23%) showed stable disease. The overall clinical response rate of the patients was 72% with a 1-year survival rate of 68%, median progression-free survival of 8 months, and overall survival of 14 months. The main toxicity was myelosuppression; 7 (32%) patients experienced grade 3/4 neutropenia, and 5 (23%) had grade 3/4 anemia. All the other adverse effects were tolerable and reversible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TXP regimen is safe and effective for treatment of metastatic NPC, and the results are comparable with those of the reports in recent literatures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, China. chen_size@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Si-ze
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xue-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xi-cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kai-lan
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Mo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil