Metronidazole amino acidum natrium combined with radiation in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.
OBJECTIVE
We performed this meta-analysis to assess the metronidazole amino acidum natrium combined with radiation in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.


METHODS
Two reviewers independently reviewed the databases of PubMed and CNKI. The prospective, randomized, controlled trials of metronidazole amino acidum natrium combined with radiation versus radiotherapy alone in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were included in this meta-analysis. The objective response rate (RR) of 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were pooled by statistical software. The publication bias was evaluated by Begg's funnel plot.


RESULTS
Sixteen prospective, randomized, controlled trials were finally included in this meta-analysis. The quality assessment showed that the method's quality was relatively poor. The pooled results showed that the metronidazole amino acidum natrium combined with radiation can significantly improve the objective RR for the primary lesion (RR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.53, P < 0.05) and neck metastasis lesion (RR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.25-1.49, P < 0.05). For survival analysis, the combined treatment can significantly improve the 1-year survival (RR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.28-1.93, P < 0.05), 3-year survival (RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.06-1.41, P < 0.05), and 5-year survival rates (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.05-1.53, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Metronidazole amino acidum natrium combined with radiation can improve the objective RR and long-term survival compared to radiation therapy alone in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tianjin Union Medicine Centre, Tianjin 300000, PR, China.
Shengli
S
Wei
Yizhuo
Y
Xing
Jixiang
J
Liu
Lin
L
Wang
Xiangli
X
Yang
Fucun
F
Song
Chunwei
C
Yang
Lin
L
Niu
Yang
Y
Yang
Fei
F
Wu
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008795:Metronidazole