Comparison of three different induction regimens for nasopharyngeal cancer

The standard treatment of local advanced nasopharyngeal cancer is chemoradiotherapy. There is a lack of data concerning induction therapy. In this study we retrospectively examined patients treated with induction therapy and chemoradiotherapy.

Locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated between 1996 and 2013 in our clinic were included in the study. Three different induction regimens were administered to our patients in different time periods. The regimen dosages were: CF regimen, cisplatin 50mg/m2 1-2 days, fluorouracil 500mg/m2 1-5 days; DC, docetaxel 75mg/m2 1 day, cisplatin 75mg/m2 1 day; and DCF, docetaxel 75mg/m2 1 day, cisplatin 75mg/m2 1 day, 5-Fu 750mg/m2 1-5 days. Most of the patients were stage III (36.4%) and stage IV (51.7%).

Median follow-up time was 50 months (2-201 months). Three-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 79.3%, and 5-year PFS 72.4% in all patients. Three-year overall survival (OS) was 87.4% and 5-year OS 76% in all patients. In terms of induction therapies, 3-year OS was 96.5% in the DCF group, 86.6% in the DC group and 76.3% in the CF group (p=0.03).

There was no significant differences in response rate and PFS between the three regimens. OS in the DCF group was significantly higher than in the other groups. However, this study was retrospective and limited toxicity data were available; the findings therefore need to be interpreted with care.