Radiotherapy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus concurrent chemoradiotherapy for ascending-type nasopharyngeal carcinoma:a retrospective comparison of toxicity and prognosis

Background:In the era of intensity?modulated radiotherapy(IMRT),the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)in treating ascending?type nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)is under?evaluated.This study was to compare the efficacy of NACT followed by IMRT(NACT+RT)with the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)on ascending?type NPC.Methods:Clinical data of 214 patients with ascending?type NPC treated with NACT+RT or CCRT between Decem?ber 2009 and July 2011 were analyzed.Of the 214 patients,98 were treated with NACT followed by IMRT,and 116 were treated with CCRT.The survival rates were assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis,and the survival curves were compared using a log?rank test.Results:The 4?year overall survival,locoregional failure?free survival,distant failure?free survival,and failure?free sur?vival rates were not significantly different between the two groups(all P>0.05).However,patients in the CCRT group exhibited more severe acute adverse events than did patients in the NACT+RT group during radiotherapy,includ?ing leukopenia(30.2%vs.15.3%,P=0.016),neutropenia(25.9%vs.11.2%,P=0.011),and mucositis(57.8%vs.40.8%,P=0.028).After radiotherapy,patients in the CCRT group exhibited significantly higher rates of xerostomia(21.6%vs.Conclusions:The treatment outcomes of the NACT+RT and CCRT groups were similar;however,CCRT led to higher rates of acute and late toxicities.NACT+RT may therefore be a better treatment strategy for ascending?type NPC.

PhaseⅡstudy of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with raltitrexed and cisplatin in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective:For locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(LA-NPC)patients,high incidences of distant metastases and severe treatment related toxicities are the main obstacles needed to be overcome.Raltitrexed,a specific thymidylate synthase inhibitor with a convenient administration schedule,has an acceptable and manageable toxicity,and possesses radio-sensitizing properties.To investigate the efficacy and safety of raltitrexed and cisplatin induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy(IC+CCRT)in patients with LA-NPC,a phaseⅡclinical study was conducted.Methods:Sixty eligible patients with LA-NPC were enrolled into this study.A raltitrexed-cisplatin combination was used as part of an IC+CCRT regimen.Raltitrexed-cisplatin IC was given once every 3 weeks(q3 w)for two cycles,followed by raltitrexed-cisplatin based CCRT q3 w for two cycles.Intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)was given for all enrolled patients.Results:All patients were included in survival analysis according to the intent-to-treat principle.The objective response rate(ORR)3 months after treatment was 98%.The 2-year overall survival(OS)rate was 92%.The median relapse-free survival(RFS)time was 30.5[95%confidence interval(95%CI),28.4-32.3]months.The 2-year RFS rate was 85%.The 2-year local failure-free survival(LFFS)rate was 97%and the 2-year distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS)rate was 88%.Acute toxicities were mostly grade 2 and 3 reactions in bone marrow suppression,gastrointestinal side effect and oropharyngeal mucositis.Only two patients occurred grade 4 acute toxicities,one was bone marrow suppression and the other was dermatitis radiation.Conclusions:The combination of raltitrexed and cisplatin has a comparable efficacy to those in standard firstline therapy.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus intensity-modulated radiotherapy versus concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma:a retrospective controlled study

Background:In the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT),the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)is under-evaluated.The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of NAC plus IMRT and concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)plus adjuvant chemotherapy(AC)on locoregionally advanced NPC.Methods:Between January 2004 and December 2008,240 cases of locoregionally advanced NPC confirmed by pathologic assessment in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were reviewed.Of the 240 patients,117 received NAC followed by IMRT,and 123 were treated with CCRT plus AC.The NAC+IMRT group received a regimen that included cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil(5-FU).The CCRT+AC group received cisplatin concurrently with radiotherapy,and subsequently received adjuvant cisplatin and 5-FU.The survival rates were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis,and the survival curves were compared using a log-rank test.Multivariate analysis was conducted using the Cox proportional hazard regression model.Results:The 5-year overall survival(OS),locoregional relapse-free survival(LRRFS),distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS),and disease-free survival(DFS)were 78.0,87.9,79.0,and 69.8%,respectively,for the NAC+IMRT group and78.7,84.8,76.2,and 65.6%,respectively,for the CCRT+AC group.There were no significant differences in survival between the two groups.In multivariate analysis,age(<50 years vs.>50 years)and overall stage(Ⅲvs.Ⅳ)were found to be independent predictors for OS and DFS;furthermore,the overall stage was a significant prognostic factor for DMFS.Compared with the CCRT+AC protocol,the NAC+IMRT protocol significantly reduced the occurrence rates of grade 3-4 nausea-vomiting(6.5 vs.1.5%,P=0.023)and leukopenia(9.7 vs.0.8%,P=0.006).Conclusions:The treatment outcomes of the NAC+IMRT and CCRT+AC groups were similar.Distant metastasis remained the predominant mode of treatment failure.

A Prospective Study on Therapeutic Gain by Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Stage Ⅱ-Ⅳa Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

The benefit achieved by concurrent chemoradiotherapy（CCR） and sequential chemoradiotherapy（SCR） vs radiotherapy（RT） alone for patients with stage Ⅱ-Ⅳa nasopharyngeal carcinoma（NPC） was compared.A total of 113 patients with stage Ⅱ-Ⅳa NPC were allotted into CCR group（n=38）,SCR group（n=36） and RT alone group（n=39）.All patients were irradiated with the same RT technique to ≥66 Gy at 2 Gy per fraction,conventional 5 fractions/week in all groups.The CCR group received concurrent chemotherapy of weekly cisplatin for 7 weeks,and the SCR group received neoadjuvant and（or） adjuvant chemotherapy.The results showed that the 3-and 5-year overall survival rate was significantly higher in CCR group than in RT alone group（92.16% vs 61.54%,81.58% vs 51.28%,P〈0.005）.The median survival time was significantly longer in CCR group than in RT alone group（67.8 months vs 52.7 months,P〈0.005）.It was concluded that CCR could significantly improve overall survival rate,progression-free survival rate,and median survival time when compared with RT alone.

Efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with thalidomide and S-1 for esophageal carcinoma and its influence on serum tumor markers

BACKGROUND Although the current conventional treatment strategies for esophageal carcinoma(EC)have been proven effective,they are often accompanied by serious adverse events.Therefore,it is still necessary to continue to explore new therapeutic strategies for EC to improve the clinical outcome of patients.AIM To elucidate the clinical efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)with thalidomide(THAL)and S-1(tegafur,gimeracil,and oteracil potassium capsules)in the treatment of EC as well as its influence on serum tumor markers(STMs).METHODS First,62 patients with EC treated at the Zibo 148 Hospital between November 2019 and November 2022 were selected and grouped according to the received treatment.Among these,30 patients undergoing CCRT with cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil were assigned to the control group(Con),and 32 patients receiving CCRT with THAL and S-1 were assigned to the research group(Res).Second,inter-group comparisons were carried out with respect to curative efficacy,incidence of drug toxicities,STMs[carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)and macrophage inflammatory protein-3α(MIP-3α)],angiogenesis-related indicators[vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF);VEGF receptor-1(VEGFR-1);basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF);angiogenin-2(Ang-2)],and quality of life(QoL)[QoL core 30(QLQ-C30)]after one month of treatment.RESULTS The analysis showed no statistical difference in the overall response rate and disease control rate between the two patient cohorts;however,the incidences of grade I–II myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions were significantly lower in the Res than in the Con.Besides,the post-treatment CA125,MIP-3α,VEGF,VEGFR-1,bFGF,and Ang-2 Levels in the Res were markedly lower compared with the pre-treatment levels and the corresponding post-treatment levels in the Con.Furthermore,more evident improvements in QLQ-C30 scores from the dimensions of physical,role,emotional,and social functions were determined in the Res.CONCLUSION The above results demonstrate the effectiveness of THAL+S-1 CCRT for EC,which contributes to mild side effects and significant reduction of CA125,MIP-3α,VEGF,VEGFR-1,bFGF,and Ang-2 Levels,thus inhibiting tumors from malignant progression and enhancing patients’QoL.

Clinical study of docetaxel combined with concurrent radiotherapy in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective： The aim of this study was to study the short-term curative effects and adverse reactions of docetaxel （DOC） in concurrent chemoradiotherapy compared to DDP plus 5-Fu （DF） combined with concurrent radiotherapy in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods： Thirty-three patients in the experimental group （DOC group） were given DOC 25 mg/m2 ivgtt, dl, 7 times, concurrent radiotherapy was performed from dl. Thirty-three patients in the control group （DF group） were given cisplatin 25 mg/@ivgtt dl-3 and 5-Fu 550 mg/m2iv, dl-5, 3 weeks a cycle, 2 cycles, and concurrent radiotherapy was performed from dl. Six MV X-ray and 9 MeV electronic line for external irradiation were adopted in concur- rent radiotherapy. Results： The response rates of DOC group and DF group were 90.9% and 93.9%, the rates of neutropenia were 45.45% and 67.74%, and the rates of oral mucositis were 60.61% and 90.32%. Conclusion： The difference of short- term curative effects between DOC group and DF group was not statistically significant in patients with advanced nasopha- ryngeal carcinoma. The rates of adverse reactions were lower in DOC group. DOC combined with concurrent radiotherapy could be a new choice for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Clinical Observation of Concurrent Radio-Chemotherapy Combined with Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Treating Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy and side effects of concurrent radiochemotherapy using the TP regimen （paclitaxel and cisplatin） combined with adjuvant treatment in treating patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC）. METHODS A total of 82 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of locoregionally advanced stage-III and IVa NPC were randomly divided into 2 groups： the treatment group （TG） with concurrent radiochemotherapy combined with adjuvant chemotherapy （n = 44） and the control group （CG） with simple radiotherapy （RT） （n = 38）. A total dose of 68 - 74 Gy of conformal radiation （X-ray, 4 MV or 8 MV） was given to patients in both groups. In the TG, a regimen of paxlitaxel and cisplatin was given via intravenous infusion in the 1st and 6th week concurrently with RT. After a 2-week intermission following RT, these patients received 2 cycles of the same chemotherapeutic regimen triweekly. RESULTS The effective rates of the treatment were, respectively, 71.1% and 76.3% in the CG, and 88.6% and 95.5% in the TG, at the end of treatment and 3 months thereafter. The differences in the therapeutic efficacy between the 2 groups were statistically significant （P 〈 0.05）. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 81.1% and 73%, and 95.2% and 90.5%, respectively in the CG and the TG, and the differences between the 2 groups were statistically significant （P 〈 0.05）. The grade I-II reactions in the gastrointestinal tract, skin and oral mucosa were higher in patients receiving concurrent radiochemotherapy combined with adjuvant chemotherapy than in patients receiving simple radiotherapy （P 〈 0.05）. The differences in the occurrence of grade III-IV side effects including gastrointestinal, dermal and oral mucosal discomfort, other side effects, and late radioactive damage between the 2 groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Concurrent radiochemotherapy combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in treating patients with locoregionally advanced NPC can further improve short-term therapeutic effects and the overall survival. However, there is an increased trend in toxicity secondary to treatment.

The clinical effects of concurrent radiochemotherapy in cases suffered from stages III to IVa nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective： The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical effects of concurrent radiochemotherapy in treating locally advanced （Stages III-IVa） nasopharyngeal carcinomas （NPCs）. Methods： A total of 95 patients who suffered from nasopharyngeal carcinoma （Stages III-IVa） was divided into two groups： Group concurrent radiochemotherapy （Group CCRT, n = 49） and Group radiotherapy （Group RT, n = 46）. The two groups were both delivered conventional fractionated radiotherapy, while Group CCRT was delivered three cycles chemotherapy of PF （DDP ＋ 5-Fu） regimen or PLF （DDP ＋ 5-Fu ＋ CF） regimen. Results： The complete remission rate and total remission rate of Group CCRT were higher than those of Group RT, and the differences were of statistical importance （X2 = 4.72-7.19, P 〈 0.05）. The one-year overall survival （OS） rate was calculated by life table method, in Group CCRT, it was higher than that of Group RT and the difference was of statistical importance （X2 = 4.24, P 〈 0.05）. The 3-year overall survival （OS） rate, nasopharyngeal control rate and cervical lymph nodes＇ control rate of Group CCRT were all higher than those of Group RT and the differences were of statistical importance （X2 = 4.28-4.40, P 〈 0.05）. The 5-year overall survival （OS） rate and metastasis-free rate of Group CCRT were higher than those of Group RT and the differences were of statistical importance （X2 = 3.96-8.26, P 〈 0.05）. The incidence rates of acute toxicities in Group CCRT were obviously higher than those in Group RT, and the difference of gastrointestinal reaction was of statistical importance （X2 = 11.70, P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： This study has demonstrated that concurrent radiochemotherapy can improve the remission rate, overall survival rate and locally control rate. The toxicities of concurrent radiochemotherapy can be tolerated by the patients.

Radiation therapy concurrent with weekly cisplatin therapy for loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma:outcomes of a clinical trial

Objective:The purpose of this study was to define the maximum tolerated dose(MTD) by describing the doselimiting toxicity(DLT) of weekly cisplatin concurrently with conventional plus 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy(CT + 3DCRT) in patients with loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).Methods:Patients with loco-regionally advanced NPC(III/IVa stage) were enrolled into a dose-escalating study.Toxicity was graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0(CTCAE v3.0).MTD was defined when 2 of 6 patients developed DLT.The starting dose of cisplatin was 15 mg/m2/w,with a subsequent dose escalation of 5 mg/m2/w in cohorts of 3 new patients.CT + 3DCRT was given to the nasopharynx and the upper neck;the lower neck was treated by a single anterior field irradiation.The prescription dose was 70-80 Gy by 35-40 fractions to the nasopharynx gross tumor,and 66-70 Gy by 33-35 fractions to the positive neck lymph nodes.Results:From Jun.2008 to Sep.2009,24 patients received complete chemoradiotherapy,and all of them were eligible for toxicity evaluation.On the first five dose levels of 15 mg/m2/w and 35 mg/m2/w,no patient experienced DLT.On the next dose level of 40 mg/m2/w,1 patient experienced DLT of grade 3 myelosuppression for 1.4 weeks,and among the additional 3 patients,no one developed DLT.On the seventh dose level of 45 mg/m2/w,all the patients developed grade 3 myelosuppression for more than 1 weeks,and the dose-escalating trial stopped.The 23(95.8%) patients achieved clinical complete remission(CR) in the local site;22(91.7%) achieved CR in the regional site,and all patients got CR 3 months later.After a median follow-up of 16.4 months,1 patient developed liver metastases 2 months later,1 patient developed bone metastases 10 months later and 22 kept disease-free survival.Conclusion:The MTD of cisplatin weekly with concurrent CT + 3DCRT for local advanced NPC is 40 mg/m2/w,with myelosuppression as DLT.

Clinical analysis of PF plus concurrent radiotherapy in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective： The prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） depends on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. Unfortunately, at diagnosis, most of patients have locally advanced, non-metastatic stage III or IVa disease. The study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil combined with concurrent radiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods： Sixty-six patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma received chemotherapy of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil jointing concurrent radiotherapy; concurrent radiotherapy started on day 1 in the first cycle of chemotherapy of PF, 5-fluorouraci1500 mg/m^2 intravenous infusion on days 1-5, cisplatin 80 mg/m2 intravenous infusion on days 1-3, 21 days for a cycle, a total of three cycles; nasopharyngeal lesions and positive lymph node were given a total amount of 70 Gy, prophylactic neck radiation were given the amount of 50 Gy, radiotherapy five times a week, Gy/f. Results： All patients who can be evaluated, the response rate （RR） was 100%; 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival （OS） were 100%, 86.4%, 21.2%, respectively; 3-year, 5-year disease-free survival （DFS） were 72.7% and 18.2%, respective- ly; the average survival time and median survival time were 49.0 months and 48.5 months, respectively; the average survival time and median survival time of DFS were 46.1 months and 46.5 months, respectively. Conclusion： For patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, who accepted RT combining concurrent chemotherapy of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil, clinical efficacy is satisfaction and toxicities could be tolerated.

Clinical Study on Simultaneous Modulated Accelerated Radiotherapy and Concurrent Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy and toxicities of simultaneous modulated accelerated radiotherapy （SMART） and concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS Eightyseven patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma received SMART from April 2002 to September 2006. According to the UICC staging system, 30 patients were diagnosed as stage IIb, 42 patients stage III, 13 patients stage IVa and 2 patients stage IVb. The intensitymodulated radiotherapy was delivered with the ＂step and shoot＂ SMART technique with the prescribed dose of 66-76 Gy （2.2-2.4 Gy/day） to the gross tumor volume （GTV） and positive neck lymph nodes （GTVLN）, with 60 Gy （2.0 Gy/day） to the highrisk clinical target volume （CTV1）, encompassing the area around the nasopharynx and the upper neck, and with 54 Gy （1.8 Gy/day） to the lowrisk clinical target volume （CTV2）, including the lower neck and supraclavicular area. Among all the patients, 31 received 2 cycles of SMART concurrently with 5 fluorouracil （5-Fu） and cisplatin （the FP group） and 56 received 2 cycles of concurrent cisplatin. All the patients received 3 to 4 cycles of adjuvant combination chemotherapy of cisplatin and 5fluorouracil starting from the 1st month after completion of SMART. RESULTS With a median follow up of 59 months （ranging from 19 to 85 months）, the 1, 2 and 3year overall survival rates were 100%, 94.6% and 91.3% respectively. Acute mucositis and pharyngitis were more frequently observed in the FP group than in the cisplatin group. CONCLUSION SMART technique provides an excellent opportunity to spare normal tissue and is probably more biologically effective. Combination of single cisplatin was more tolerable.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma with synchronous breast metastasis:A case report

BACKGROUND Recent reports have described cases of metachronous breast metastasis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.However,no similar cases of synchronous breast metastasis have been reported,and evidence that can be used to support the clinical diagnosis of stage IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma in patients with concurrent breast metastasis remains lacking.Therefore,additional evidence is required to elucidate the clinical characteristics of this condition and aid in the development of optimal management strategies.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 46-year-old woman who visited our hospital with a right breast mass as the first symptom.The first pathological biopsy report suggested triple-negative breast invasive carcinoma.Subsequent imaging revealed a nasopharyngeal mass.Further puncture biopsy of the nasopharyngeal mass,molecular pathological Epstein–Barr virus in situ hybridization,and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma with breast metastasis.The patient did not undergo a mastectomy and achieved complete remission after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.She continued to receive oral chemotherapy as maintenance therapy and experienced no recurrence or metastasis during the 6-month follow-up period.CONCLUSION This case report suggests that breast specialists should carefully rule out secondary breast cancers when diagnosing and treating breast masses.Furthermore,clinicians should aim to identify the pathological type of the tumor to obtain the most accurate diagnosis and prevent excessive diagnosis and treatment.

Effects of concurrent chemoradiotherapy on serum tumor markers, MMP-9, VEGF and inflammatory factors in patients with endometrial carcinoma after operation

Objective:To investigate effects of concurrent chemoradiotherapy on serum tumor markers, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and inflammatory factors in patients with endometrial carcinoma after operation.Methods: A total of 86 patients with endometrial carcinoma treated by surgery were selected as objects of study, according to random data table they were divided into control group (n=42) and observation group (n=44), patients of two groups were all underwent hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy treatment, on this basis, the control group was given radiotherapy treatment, observation group patients received concurrent chemotherapy treatment, the levels of serum tumor markers, VEGF, MMP-9 and inflammatory factor of the two groups before and after treatment were compared.Results: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in CA-125, HE4, VEGF, MMP-9, TNF-α, CRP and IL-6 levels between the observation group and the control group;After treatment, the levels of CA-125, HE4, VEGF, MMP-9, TNF-α, CRP and IL-6 in the two groups were significantly lower than those in the group before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant;After treatment, the levels of CA-125, HE4, VEGF, MMP-9, TNF-α, CRP and IL-6 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group, the difference was statistically significant.Conclusion:The concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy can effectively reduce the levels of serum tumor markers, VEGF and MMP-9, and effectively decrease the inflammatory stress response in patients with endometrial carcinoma after operation, with critical clinical value.

Long-term outcomes of a phase Ⅱ randomized controlled trial comparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy with or without weekly cisplatin for the treatment of locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background:Salvage treatment for locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) is complicated and relatively limited.Radiotherapy,combined with effective concomitant chemotherapy,may improve clinical treatment outcomes.We conducted a phase Ⅱ randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy with concomitant weekly cisplatin on locally recurrent NPC.Methods:Between April 2002 and January 2008,69 patients diagnosed with non-metastatic locally recurrent NPC were randomly assigned to either concomitant chemoradiotherapy group(n = 34) or radiotherapy alone group(n = 35).All patients received intensity-modulated radiotherapy.The radiotherapy dose for both groups was 60 Gy in 27 fractions for 37 days(range 23-53 days).The concomitant chemotherapy schedule was cisplatin 30 mg/m^2 by intravenous infusion weekly during radiotherapy.Results:The median follow-up period of all patients was 35 months(range 2-112 months).Between concomitant chemoradiotherapy and radiotherapy groups,there was only significant difference in the 3-year and 5-year overall survival(OS) rates(68.7%vs.42.2%,P = 0.016 and 41.8%vs.27.5%,P = 0.049,respectively).Subgroup analysis showed that concomitant chemoradiotherapy significantly improved the 5-year OS rate especially for patients in stage rT3-4(33.0%vs.13.2%,P = 0.009),stages Ⅲ-Ⅳ(34.3%vs.13.2%,P = 0.006),recurrence interval >30 months(49.0%vs.20.6%,P = 0.017),and tumor volume >26 cm^3(37.6%vs.0%,P = 0.006).Conclusion:Compared with radiotherapy alone,concomitant chemoradiotherapy can improve OS of the patients with locally recurrent NPC,especially those with advanced T category(rT3-4) and stage(lll-IV) diseases,recurrence intervals >30 months,and tumor volume >26 cm^3.

Combined chemo-radiotherapy in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas

AIM:To provide efficacy and safety data about the combined use of radiotherapy and chemo-radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).METHODS:We reviewed data of 40 patients with locally advanced NPC treated with induction chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemo-radiotherapy(CCRT)(22/40 patients)or CCRT alone(18/40)from March 2006 to March 2012.Patients underwent fiberoscopy with biopsy of the primitive tumor,and computed tomography scan of head,neck,chest and abdomen with and without contrast.Cisplatin was used both as induction and as concomitant chemotherapy,while 3D conformal radiation therapy was delivered to the nasopharynx and relevant anatomic regions(total dose,70 Gy).The treatment was performed using 6 MV photons of the linear accelerator administered in 2 Gy daily fraction for five days weekly.This retrospective analysis was approved by the review boards of the participating institutions.Patients gave their consent to treatment and to anonymous analysis of clinical data.RESULTS:Thirty-three patients were males and 7 were females.Median follow-up time was 58 mo(range,1-92 mo).In the sub-group of twenty patients with a follow-up time longer than 36 mo,the 3-year survival and disease free survival rates were 85%and 75%,respectively.Overall response rate both in patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed by CCRT and in those treated with CCRT alone was 100%.Grade 3 neutropenia was the most frequent acute side-effect and it occurred in 20 patients.Grade 2 mucositis was seen in 29 patients,while grade 2 xerostomia was seen in 30 patients.Overall toxicity was manageable and it did not cause any significant treatment delay.In the whole sample population,long term toxicity included grade 2 xerostomia in 22 patients,grade 1 dysgeusia in 17 patients and grade 1 subcutaneous fibrosis in 30 patients.CONCLUSION:Both CCRT and induction chemotherapy followed by CCRT showed excellent activity in locally advanced NPC.The role of adjuvant chemotherapy remains to be defined.

Induction chemotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The value of adding induction chemotherapy(IC) to concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT) for the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) remains unclear.In our recent article entitled "Induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma:a phase 3,multicentre,randomised controlled trial" published in the Lancet Oncology,we reported the results of a phase Ⅲ,multicenter,randomized controlled trial comparing cisplatin,5-fluorouracil,and docetaxel(TPF) IC plus CCRT versus CCRT alone in patients wit hT3-4N1/TxN2-3M0 NPC(Clinical Trials.gov registration number NCT01245959).The IC-plus-CCRT group showed significantly higher 3-year failure-free survival,overall survival,and distant failure-free survival rates than the CCRT-alone group,with an acceptable toxicity profile.Our study suggests that adding TPF IC to CCRT could increase survival rates and reduce distant failure in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC.However,long-term follow-up is required to assess the eventual efficacy and toxicity of this strategy,and a more accurate method to determine prognosis is needed to enable better tailoring of treatment strategy for individual patients.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapyof different radiation doses and different irradiation fields for locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma:A randomized,multicenter,phase Ⅲ clinical trial

Background:Concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)is the standard treatment for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).However,the optimal radiotherapy regimen,particularly in terms of total dose and planned range of irradiation field,remains unclear.This phase III clinical trial aimed to compare the survival benefits between different radiation doses and different target fields.Methods:This trial compared two aspects of radiation treatment,total dose and field,using a two-by-two factorial design.The high-dose(HD)group received 59.4 Gy radiation,and the standard-dose(SD)group received 50.4 Gy.The involved field irradiation(IFI)group and elective nodal irradiation(ENI)group adopted different irradiation ranges.The participants were assigned to one of the four groups(HD+ENI,HD+IFI,SD+ENI and SD+IFI).The primary endpoint was overall survival(OS),and the secondary endpoints included progressionfree survival(PFS).The synergy indexwas used to measure the interaction effect between dose and field.Results:The interaction analysis did not reveal significant synergistic effects between the dose and irradiation field.In comparison to the target field,patients in IFI or ENI showed similar OS(hazard ratio[HR]=0.99,95%CI:0.80-1.23,p=0.930)and PFS(HR=1.02,95%CI:0.82–1.25).TheHDtreatment did not show significantly prolonged OS compared with SD(HR=0.90,95%CI:0.72–1.11,p=0.318),but it suggested improved PFS(25.2 months to 18.0 months).Among the four groups,the HD+IFI group presented the best survival,while the SD+IFI group had the worst prognosis.No significant difference in the occurrence of severe adverse events was found in dose or field comparisons.Conclusions:IFI demonstrated similar treatment efficacy to ENI in CCRT of ESCC.The HD demonstrated improved PFS,but did not significantly improve OS.The dose escalation based on IFI(HD+IFI)showed better therapeutic efficacy than the current recommendation(SD+ENI)and is worth further validation.

Occipital lymph node metastasis from nasopharyngeal carcinoma:a special case report and literature review

Cervical lymph node metastasis is common in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC),but occipital lymph node metastasis in NPC patients has not yet been reported.In this case report,we describe an NPC patient with occipital lymph node metastasis.The clinical presentation,diagnostic procedure,treatment,and outcome of this case were presented,with a review of the related literature.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy comparison of taxanes and platinum versus 5-fluorouracil and platinum in nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment

Background Nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） is a squamous-cell carcinoma especially prevailing among the natives of southern China.The regimen of concurrent chemoradiotherapy （CCRT） that include platinum and 5-fluorouracil （5-FU）is considered to be the standard treatment for NPC.However,its clinical use is limited by its toxicity.Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the regimen of CCRT with taxanes and platinum versus the regimen of CCRT with 5-FU and platinum in NPC treatment.Methods Medline,the Cochrane library,and the Chinese medical literature database were searched for eligible studies.Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager （Version 5.2）.Results Six random controlled trials （RCTs） including 514 patients met our criteria.Meta-analysis showed that the regimen of CCRT with taxanes and platinum had an improved significant difference in complete remission （CR） and less incidence rate in adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal impairment grades Ⅲll-Ⅳ,liver and kidney impairment grades Ⅰ-Ⅱ,and radiodermatitis grades Ⅲ-Ⅳ versus the conventional regimen of CCRT with 5-FU and platinum,while the long-term effectiveness rate of overall survival,Iocoregional failure-free survival,or distant metastasis failure-free survival between the two groups was therapeutic equivalence.Conclusions The regimen of CCRT with taxanes and platinum in NPC therapy may be more efficient and safe compared to the conventional modality of 5-FU and platinum in CCRT.However,we need more high-quality studies of multi-center and randomized double-blind clinical trials to further compare,analyze,and confirm the findings.

Famitinib in combination with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation Study

Background:Famitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor against multiple targets,including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2/3,platelet-derived growth factor receptor,and stem cell factor receptor(c-kit).Previous studies have demonstrated anti-tumour activities of famitinib against a wide variety of advanced-stage solid cancers.We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of famitinib with concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC).We also evaluated the feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(D-CEUS)as a predictor of early tumour response to famitinib and to correlate functional parameters with clinical efficacy.Methods:The trial was conducted in subjects with stage III or IVa-b NPC using a 3+3 design of escalating fami-tinib doses.Briefly,subjects received 2 weeks of famitinib monotherapy followed by 7 weeks of famitinib plus CCRT.D-CEUS of the neck lymph nodes was performed at day 0,8 and 15 after famitinib was administered before starting concurrent chemoradiotherapy.End points included safety,tolerability and anti-tumour activity.Results:Twenty patients were enrolled(six each for 12.5,16.5 and 20 mg and two for 25 mg).Two patients in the 25 mg cohort developed dose-limiting toxicities,including grade 4 thrombocytopenia and grade 3 hypertension.The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were leukopenia,neutropenia and radiation mucositis.D-CEUS tests showed that more than 60%of patients achieved a perfusion parameter response after 2 weeks taking famitinib alone,and the parameter response was associated with disease improvement.In the famitinib monotherapy stage,three patients(15%)showed partial responses.The complete response rate was 65%at the completion of treatment and 95%3 months after the treatment ended.After a median follow-up of 44 months,the 3-year progression-free survival(PFS)and distant metastasis-free survival were 70%and 75%,respectively.Subjects with a decrease of perfusion parameter response,such as peak intensity decreased at least 30%after 1 week of famitinib treatment,had higher 3-year PFS(90.9%vs.44.4%,95%CI 73.7%-100%vs.11.9%-76.9%,P<0.001)than those with an increase or a reduction of less than 30%.Conclusions:The recommended famitinib dose for phase II trial is 20 mg with CCRT for patients with local advanced NPC.D-CEUS is a reliable and early measure of efficacy for famitinib therapies.Further investigation is required to confirm the effects of famitinib plus chemoradiotherapy.