title: Comparison of the short-term efficacy between docetaxel plus carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil plus carboplatin in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy is a standard treatment strategy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to investigate the long-term efficacy and tolerability of inductive chemotherapy with docetaxel plus carboplatin (TC) or 5-fluorouracil plus carboplatin (FC) followed by concurrent radiation therapy in patients with NPC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (N=88) were randomized to receive TC or FC as inductive therapy followed by concurrent radiotherapy (60-70 Gy) with two cycles of carboplatin (area under the curve =5 mg·h/L). Patients were followed up for 8 years. Primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary end points included overall survival (OS), toxicity, tumor response, distant metastasis-free survival, and local recurrence-free survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the follow-up period, 31 patients died, 32 had disease progression, eleven had cancer recurrence, and 25 had distant metastasis. Overall, there was no difference between treatment groups with regard to response or survival. We found that following induction and concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the majority of patients showed a complete response (~96%-98% for induction therapy and 82%-84% for comprehensive therapy) to both therapies. PFS and OS were also similar between groups. The rate of PFS was 63.6% for both FC and TC and that of OS was 65.9% and 63.5%, respectively. The overall incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events in the TC group (20.5%) was higher than in the FC group (10.7%). Neutropenia and leukopenia were the most common grade 3-4 adverse events in the TC group, and mucositis was the most common in the FC group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that TC and FC therapies have similar efficacy in treating locally advanced NPC and both are well tolerated.
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xing
authors: X
authors: Lv
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Wei-Xiong
authors: WX
authors: Xia
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Liang-Ru
authors: LR
authors: Ke
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Yang
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Wen-Zhe
authors: WZ
authors: Qiu
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ya-Hui
authors: YH
authors: Yu
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Hu
authors: H
authors: Liang
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xin-Jun
authors: XJ
authors: Huang
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Guo-Yin
authors: GY
authors: Liu
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Zeng
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xiang
authors: X
authors: Guo
authors: Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yan-Qun
authors: YQ
authors: Xiang
keywords: 5-fluorouracil; carboplatin; docetaxel; nasopharyngeal cancer; tolerability