title: Comparison of long-term survival and toxicity of cisplatin delivered weekly versus every three weeks concurrently with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to compare the long-term survival outcomes and acute toxicity of cisplatin administered weekly versus every three weeks concurrently with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective review of 154 patients with histologically proven, non-disseminated NPC who were treated using IMRT between January 2003 and December 2007. Seventy-three patients (47.4%) received 5-7 weeks of 30-40 mg/m2 cisplatin weekly; 81 patients (52.6%) received two or three cycles of 80 mg/m2 cisplatin every three weeks. IMRT was delivered at 68 Gy/30 fractions to the nasopharyngeal gross target volume and 60-66 Gy to the involved neck area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical characteristics and treatment factors of the two groups were well-balanced. The median follow-up was 74 months (range, 6-123 months), and the 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival rates were 85.2% vs. 78.9% (P = 0.318), 71.6% vs. 71.0% (P = 0.847), 93.5% vs. 92.6% (P = 0.904), and 80.9% vs. 80.1% (P = 0.925) for the group treated every three weeks and weekly, respectively. Subgroup analyses indicated no significant differences in the survival rates of the two groups among patients with early- or advanced-stage disease. The incidence of acute toxicities was similar between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IMRT with concurrent cisplatin administered weekly or every three weeks leads to similar long-term survival outcomes and acute toxicity in NPC regardless of whether patients have early- or advanced-stage disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chang-Juan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guan-Qun
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling-Long
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mu-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tie-Bang
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian-Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hai-Qiang
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ai-Hua
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin