BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVEThe platinum-based chemotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is most frequently used for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the efficacy has been maintained at 50%-60%. Docetaxel is an effective drug for head and neck tumors, its administration is simple, and the administration time is short. This study was to compare the short-term efficacy and toxicity between TC regimen (inductive chemotherapy with docetaxol plus carboplatin) and FC regimen (5-FU plus carboplatin) in local advanced NPC so as to provide a new chemotherapeutic regimen for NPC.

METHODSFifty-eight local advanced NPC patients without previous treatment in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were randomly assigned to receive either TC or FC regimen inductive chemotherapy, followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with two cycles of carboplatin (AUC=6) plus radiotherapy of 60-78 Gy to the nasopharynx and 60-70 Gy to the neck. The short-term efficacy and adverse events were observed.

RESULTSMore chemotherapy cycles were finished in TC group than in FC group (3.31 vs. 2.83, P = 0.043). There was no significant difference in short-term efficacy and 1-year survival rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). More grades 3-4 neutropenia appeared in TC group than in FC group (72.4% vs. 37.9%, P < 0.05) , whereas less thrombocytopenia and emesis occurred in TC than in FC group (P = 0.013 and 0.018, respectively).

CONCLUSIONSThe short-term efficacy of TC regimen in local advanced NPC is similar to that of FC regimen with tolerable adverse events. But the long-term outcomes and toxicities need to be further investigated.