title: Gemcitabine improves survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: For decades, the selection of chemotherapeutic regimens for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma has been mainly empirical. To our knowledge, there is no phase 3 trial that has been conducted to determine the optimal treatment for these patients before our publication. Recently, we published an article in The Lancet entitled "Gemcitabine plus cisplatin versus fluorouracil plus cisplatin in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial." The results of our study indicate that gemcitabine plus cisplatin could improve the survival of patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma compared with conventional fluorouracil plus cisplatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.|Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Cente, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shaodong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China. zhangli6@mail.sysu.edu.cn.|Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Cente, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China. zhangli6@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: Chemotherapy; Metastasis; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma