Clinical Effect of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy on Patients with Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

【Objective】 To evaluate the effect of radiotherapy combined with concurrent chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.【Methods】 One hundred and twenty eight cases with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(stage III and IVa)were randomized into two groups.Group A received radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy(n=64) consisted of cisplatin(DDP,60 mg/m2,days 1~5) and 5-fluorouracil(5-Fu,500 mg/m2,days 1~5),followed by another treatment in 5th week.Group B received radiotherapy alone(n=64).In all cases,radiotherapy followed the same protocol.【Results】 All patients completed the treatment course,and the complete response rates of the primary lesions and cervical nodes in Group A and Group B were 93.75%(60/64),73.44%(47/64),100%(64/64) and 89.06%(57/64)(P0.05),respectively.The 1-,3-and 5-year survival rate was 96.88%(62),76.56%(49) and 54.69%(35) in Group A and 90.63%(58),45.31%(29),32.81%(21) in Group B,respectively.It was statistically significant difference between Group A and B.Gastrointestinal reaction and bone marrow toxicity in Group A were more severe than that in Group B(P0.05).Oral mucosa and cutaneous reaction in two groups were the same.【Conclusion】 Radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy can improve the elimination rate of the primary lesions,cervical nodes and the 5-year survival rate of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma and decrease the distant metastasis rate.The toxicity was tolerable and the treatment can be completed.Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was very effective and practicable for the treatment of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma,and it should be generalized.