Induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy vs. concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy vs. concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODS: We reviewed data of locoregionally advanced NPC patients who underwent 2 different treatment plans, 1 with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (IC + CCRT) and the other with only concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). All patients received cisplatin 80 mg/m2 3 weeks one cycle concurrently with intensity-modulated radiation therapy, and three IC protocols were included for the IC + CCRT group.

RESULTS: Data of 262 patients treated from May 2011 to November 2014 were found eligible for our study. With a median follow-up of 29.02 months, no significant differences were detected between the two groups on the 2-year overall survival or OS rates (96.63 vs. 92.86%, P = 0.169), 2-year distant metastasis-free survival or DMFS rates (91.57 vs. 86.90%, P = 0.246) and 3-year DMFS rates (90.45 vs. 82.14%, P = 0.093). However, they were statistically different on 2-year locoregional failure-free survival or LFFS rates (94.94 vs. 86.90%, P = 0.020), 3-year OS rates (95.51 vs. 82.14%, P = 0.002) and 3-year LFFS rates (93.82 vs. 79.76%, P = 0.001). The most common severe (grade 3-4) adverse events we recorded were Nausea/vomiting (36.52 vs. 33.33%), leukopenia (14.04 vs. 4.76%), thrombocytopenia (3.93 vs. 3.57%) and hepatic toxicity (3.37 vs. 2.38%).

CONCLUSION: Compared with CCRT, the treatment plan IC + CCRT produced significantly encouraging outcomes in locoregionally advanced NPC patients on local progression-free survival and 3-year overall survival position, but might raise the risk of certain adverse reactions.