title: Progress and controversy for the role of chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Since the publication of Intergroup Study 0099, representing a superiority of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin followed by adjuvant chemotherapy to radiotherapy alone for the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an efficacy of concurrent setting of cisplatin-based chemotherapy with radiotherapy has been repeatedly validated. In meanwhile, the role of adjuvant part of the protocol has been controversial. There is an increasing evidence for the positive role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with following concurrent chemoradiotherapy whereas favorable contribution was not proven in the last century. This article reviews the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan tomoy@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshizaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeyuki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murono
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhira
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatano
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wakisaka
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D002945:Cisplatin
keywords: H & N-RadOncol; head and neck; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; radiation oncology