Cisplatin-docetaxel induction chemotherapy for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a non-endemic cohort

Abstract

This is the report on our clinic’s 15 years of experience (2004–2018) on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), treated with induction chemotherapy (IC) and subsequent concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), comprising population characteristics and treatment outcomes of 203 patients with non-metastatic NPC. IC comprised docetaxel (75 mg/m²) and cisplatin (75 mg/m²) combination (TP). Concurrent cisplatin (P) was applied either weekly (40 mg/m², 32 cases) or every-3-week (100 mg/m², 171 cases). The median follow-up duration was 85 months (range, 5–204 months). Overall and distant failure rates were observed in 27.1% (n = 55) and 13.8% (n = 28) patients, respectively. The 5-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 84.1%, 86.4%, 75%, and 78.7% respectively. The overall stage was an independent prognostic factor for the LRRFS, DMFS, DFS, and OS. The WHO histological type was a prognostic factor for the LRRFS, DFS, and OS. Age was a prognostic factor for the DMFS, DFS, and OS. Concurrent P schedule was independent prognostic only the LRRFS.

Keywords:

• Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
• induction chemotherapy
• concomitant chemoradiotherapy
• cisplatin
• docetaxel

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author and the first author [MA, KÖT]. The data are not publicly available due to [restrictions e.g. their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants].

Disclosure statement

The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest