title: Experience with combination of nimotuzumab and intensity-modulated radiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using nimotuzumab in combination with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in the primary treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between December 2009 and December 2013, 38 newly diagnosed patients with stage III-IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with IMRT and nimotuzumab concomitantly. The distribution of disease was stage III in 20 (52.6%), stage IV A in 9 (23.7%), and stage IV B in 9 (23.7%). All the patients received at least two cycles of cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by nimotuzumab 200 mg/week concurrently with IMRT. Acute and late radiation-related toxicities were graded according to the Acute and Late Radiation Morbidity Scoring Criteria of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a median follow-up of 39.7 months (range, 13.3-66.5 months), the estimated 3-year local recurrence-free survival, regional recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, progression failure-free survival, and overall survival rates were 92.8%, 92.9%, 89.5%, 78.7%, and 87.5%, respectively. The median cycle for nimotuzumab addition was 6 weeks. Grade 3 radiation-induced mucositis accounted for 36.8% of treated people. No skin rash and infusion reaction were observed, distinctly from what is reported in cetuximab-treated patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nimotuzumab plus IMRT showed promising outcomes in terms of locoregional control and survival, without increasing the incidence of radiation-related toxicities for patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Rui-Ping
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fang-Fang
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Run
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jun-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chao-Su
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: intensity-modulated radiotherapy; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; nimotuzumab