Induction chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the effects of induction chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods A total of 90 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma confirmed pathologically were randomized into two groups: radiotherapy (n=45) and induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (n=45). The primary tumor received a total dose of 70 Gy at the daily dose of 2 Gy. Patients who had cervical lymph node metastasis received 65-70 Gy to the neck whereas patients who did not have cervical lymph node metastasis received a prophylactic radiation of 50 Gy. The regimen of induction chemotherapy consisted of cisplatin (20 mg, iv infusion at 1-5 d) and 5-Fu (500 mg, iv infusion at 1-5 d). Results The complete response rates for the primary tumor were 91.11% and 93.33% in the chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group and 82.22% and 84.44% in the radiotherapy group after treatment and at 3 months after treatment (P0.05). The remission rates in the cervical lymph nodes were 77.78% and 84.44% in the chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group and 62.22% and 66.67% in the radiotherapy group (P0.05). Conclusion Induction chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy may increase local disease control in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.