title: Radiofrequency ablation combined with systemic chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma liver metastases improves response to treatment and survival outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic chemotherapy is the major treatment modality for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) liver metastases. We investigated the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment, which has not been well explored in this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred and thirty-four cases of NPC with liver metastases treated with chemotherapy, chemotherapy with RFA, or RFA alone were retrospectively analyzed. Patient survival was evaluated by the log-rank test. Survival was analyses using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox multivariate analyses of clinicopathological features and different treatment approaches were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Local response rates were 58% in the RFA group, 78% in the chemotherapy group and 93% in the chemotherapy with RFA group (P < 0.001). Increased progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were observed in the chemotherapy with RFA group (P < 0.001). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that the number of liver metastases (1 vs. >1), the dimension of the largest liver metastases (≤3 cm vs. >3 cm), evaluation of treatment (response vs. no response) and disease-free survival (≤12 months vs. >12 months) were independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFA combined with chemotherapy is a promising treatment for NPC metastatic liver disease with improved local response, PFS, and OS compared to current chemotherapy protocols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xiu-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yan-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Wen-Qi
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil