A randomized trial of induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

SummaryThe aim of this randomized study was to compare the efficacy of induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (IC + CCRT) versus induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (IC + RT) for patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. From August 2002 to April 2005, 408 patients were randomly divided into two groups: an IC + CCRT group and an IC + RT group. Patients in both groups received the same induction chemotherapy: two cycles of floxuridine (FuDR) + carboplatin (FuDR, 750 mg/m2, d1-5; carboplatin, area under the curve [AUC] = 6). The patients received radiotherapy 1 week after they finished the induction chemotherapy. The patients in the IC + CCRT group also received carboplatin (AUC = 6) on days 7, 28, and 49 of radiotherapy. Eight patients did not meet the inclusion criteria, and the remaining 400 cases were analyzed. Grade III or IV toxicity was found in 28.4% of the patients in the IC + CCRT group and 13.1% of those in the IC + RT group (P < .001). Five-year overall survival rates were 70.3% and 71.7% (P = 0.734) in the IC + CCRT and IC + RT groups, respectively. No significant differences in failure-free survival, locoregional control, and distant control were found between the two groups. Compared with the IC + RT program, the IC + CCRT program used in the present study did not improve the overall survival and failure-free survival in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Using carboplatin in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy was not suitable for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.