PURPOSE: We compared the treatment results and toxicity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy (CCRT) alone (the CRT arm) or neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by CCRT (the NCT arm). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multi-institutional retrospective study was conducted to review NPC patterns of care and treatment outcome. Data of 568 NPC patients treated by CCRT alone or by neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by CCRT were collected from 15 institutions. Patients in both treatment arms were matched using the propensity score matching method, and the clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: After matching, 300 patients (150 patients in each group) were selected for analysis. Higher 5-year locoregional failure-free survival was observed in the CRT arm (85% vs. 72%, p=0.014). No significant differences in distant failure-free survival (DFFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival were observed between groups. In subgroup analysis, the NCT arm showed superior DFFS and DFS in stage IV patients younger than 60 years. No significant difference in compliance and toxicity was observed between groups, except the radiation therapy duration was slightly shorter in the CRT arm (50.0 days vs. 53.9 days, p=0.018). CONCLUSION: This study did not show the superiority of NCT followed by CCRT over CCRT alone. Because NCT could increase the risk of locoregional recurrences, it can only be considered in selected young patients with advanced stage IV disease. The role of NCT remains to be defined and should not be viewed as the standard of care.
Arm ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Compliance ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Methods ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Propensity Score* ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies* ; Standard of Care ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significance of the tumor volume reduction rate (TVRR) measured during adaptive definitive radiation therapy (RT) for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the RT records of 159 NPC patients treated with definitive RT with or without concurrent chemotherapy between January 2006 and February 2013. Adaptive re-planning was performed in all patients at the third week of RT. The pre- and mid-RT gross tumor volumes (GTVs) of the primary tumor and the metastatic lymph nodes were measured and analyzed for prognostic implications. RESULTS: After a median follow-up period of 41.5 months (range, 11.2 to 91.8 months) for survivors, there were 43 treatment failures. The overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS) rates at 5 years were 89.6% and 69.7%, respectively. The mean pre-RT GTV, mid-RT GTV, and TVRR were 45.9 cm3 (range, 1.5 to 185.3 cm3), 26.7 cm3 (1.0 to 113.8 cm3), and -41.9% (range, -87% to 78%), respectively. Patients without recurrence had higher TVRR than those with recurrence (44.3% in the no recurrence group vs. 34.0% in the recurrence group, p=0.004), and those with TVRR > 35% achieved a significantly higher rate of PFS at 5 years (79.2% in TVRR > 35% vs. 53.2% in TVRR ≤ 35%; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, TVRR was a significant factor affecting PFS (hazard ratio, 2.877; 95% confidence interval, 1.555 to 5.326; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: TVRR proved to be a significant prognostic factor in NPC patients treated with definitive RT, and could be used as a potential indicator for early therapeutic modification during the RT course.
Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms* ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Survivors ; Treatment Failure ; Tumor Burden*

PURPOSE: To investigate the patterns of care for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multi-institutional retrospective study was performed (Korean Radiation Oncology Group [KROG] 11-06) on a total of 1,445 patients from 15 institutions. RESULTS: Of the 1,445 patients, more than half were stages III (39.9%) and IV (35.8%). In addition to patterns of care, we also investigated trends over time with the periods 1988-1993, 1994-2002, and 2003-2011. The frequencies of magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography-computed tomography were markedly increased in the third period compared to previous 2 periods. Concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) was performed on 894 patients (61.9%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy on 468 patients (32.4%), and adjuvant chemotherapy on 366 patients (25.3%). Of stage II-IV patients, CCRT performed on 78.8% in 2003-2011 compared to 15.0% in 1988-1993. For patients treated with CCRT, cisplatin was the most commonly used agent in 81.3% of patients. Over the periods of time, commonly used radiotherapy (RT) techniques were changed from 2-dimensional RT (1988-1993, 92.5%) to 3-dimensional RT (2003-2011, 35.5%) or intensity-modulated RT (IMRT; 2003-2011, 56.5%). Median RT doses given to primary tumors, high-risk lymphatics, and low-risk lymphatics were 70.0 Gy, 58.1 Gy, and 48.0 Gy, respectively. Adoption of IMRT increased the dose per fraction and escalated total radiation dose. CONCLUSION: Assessment of the patterns of care for NPC patients in South Korea demonstrated that management for NPC including diagnostic imaging, treatment regimen, RT techniques and dose schedule, advanced in accordance with the international guidelines.
Appointments and Schedules ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cisplatin ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Drug Therapy ; Electrons ; Humans ; Korea* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects, toxic side effects and influence on the immune function in patients treated with TPF [docetaxel (DOC) + cisplatin (DDP) + 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)] induction chronochemotherapy and conventional chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal (NPC).

METHODSSeventy patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated in our department at their first visit from April 2013 to December 2013. They were divided randomly into two groups: the chronochemotherapy group (38 patients) and conventional chemotherapy group (32 patients). All of the patients were treated with TPF regimen with 2 cycles of induction chemotherapy in a 21-28-days/cycle. The chronochemotherapy group: DOC: 75 mg/m2, i. v. gtt, d1 (03: 30-04: 30); DDP: 75 mg/m2, 10 am-10 pm, c.i.v, d1-d5; 5-Fu: 750 mg·m(-2)·d(-1), 10 pm-10 am, c. i.v., d1-d5, both chemotherapies were administered by intravenous infusion using an automatic electric pump. The conventional chemotherapy group: Both DOC and DDP were administered intravenously at a dose of 75 mg/m2 on d1. 5-Fu was given at a dose of 750 mg/m2 for 24 hours from d1-d5 with continuous infusion in a total of 120 hours. In this procedure, prescribing the conventional intravenous infusion, intensity modulated radiation therapy was used after the induction chemotherapy. The prescribed nasopharyngeal lesion dose (GTVnx) was 69.96 Gy/33 fractions for the T1-T2 nasopharygeal cancer, while 73.92 Gy/33 fractions nasopharynx lesion dose (GTVnx) for the T3-T4 nasopharyngeal cancer. The planning target volume (PTV) of positive lymph node (PTVnd) dose was 69.96 Gy/33 fractions. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy: cisplatin 100 mg/m2, i. v. gtt. d1-d2, and there were two cycles in total and 21 days each cycle.

RESULTSSixty-six patients were evaluable for the response assessment. There were 36 patients in the chronochemotherapy group and 30 patients in the conventional chemotherapy group. After the induction chemotherapy, no CR case was found in both of the two groups. The PR was 80.6% in the chronochemotherapy group and 50.0% in the conventional chemotherapy group (P=0.009). After concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the CR rate in the chronocheotherapy group was 45.5%, significantly higher than 20.7% in the conventional chemotherapy group (P=0.040). Secondly, the incidence rates of adverse reactions including bone marrow suppression, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, oral mucositis, fatigue, anorexia in the chrono-chemotherapy group were significantly lower than that in the conventional group (P<0.05 for all). Finally, compared the two groups, the CD4+ /CD8+ ratio was significantly lower in the chronochemotherapy group than that in the conventional chemotherapy group (P<0.05). The lymphocytes CD19+ and CD4+/CD8+ were decreased and CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16++CD56+ were increased in the chronochemotherapy group, while only CD3+ and CD8+ were increased in the conventional chemotherapy group.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with the conventional chemotherapy, the chronochemotherapy may be more favorable in the treatment of NPC, with a better therapeutic effects and effectiveness than that of conventional chemotherapy after induction chemotherapy, with less side effects, and can improve the immune function in the patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; Carcinoma ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Drug Chronotherapy ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; methods ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; radiotherapy ; Nausea ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo compare the short-term efficacy and observe the tolerability and safety of recombinant human endostatin combined with induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

METHODSFifty-three patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, who received recombinant human endostatin combined with induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy, treated in our department from December 2011 to March 2013 were included in the study group of this study. Another 48 patients, who received induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy alone in the same period, were chosen as a control group. The short-term outcome, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and acute side effects of the two groups were compared.

RESULTSThe complete remission rates of nasopharyngeal tumor in the study and control groups were 77.4% and 72.9%, respectively (P=0.154). The complete remission rates of patients with and without cervical lymph node metastasis were 75.5% and 62.6%, respectively, showing a significant difference (P=0.037). The 2-year OS, PFS, and DMFS rates for the study group were 82.3%, 77.2%, and 82.2%, respectively, versus 87.2%, 84.3% and 84.2% for the control group, showing a non-significant differences between the two groups (P=0.938, P=0.551, and P=0.725).

CONCLUSIONSThe short-term results of recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) combined with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma are slightly better than that of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone, with tolerable treatment-related toxicity and no more side effects.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; Disease-Free Survival ; Endostatins ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Remission Induction

Radiotherapy is the primary treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and the disease control rate and survival time are able to be greatly improved by enhancing the radiosensitivity. Via mechanisms such as binding to target genes mRNA 3'untranslated region (3'UTR), microRNA (miRNA) inhibits translation, which therefore regulates transcription of target genes and thus affect target protein expression. Recent research showed that miRNAs play significant roles in improvement of radiosensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This article reviews mechanism of miRNA action to strengthen radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the future of clinical practice of miRNA in this disease.
3' Untranslated Regions ; Carcinoma ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; pharmacology ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; RNA, Messenger ; Radiation Tolerance ; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is very rare in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of pediatric NPC.METHODS: Medical records of 9 patients treated for NPC at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital between 1988 and 2012 were analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 11 years (range, 9-13 years). One patient had stage II disease, 3 had stage III disease, and 5 had stage IV disease. The histologic subtypes were undifferentiated carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in 7 and 2 patients, respectively. All patients were initially treated with cisplatin (100 mg/m2 intravenous [IV] every 4 weeks for 4-6 months), bleomycin (15 unit/m2 IV every 1 weekx7), and fluorouracil (1,000 mg/m2 IV every 4 weeks for 1 year). Eight patients received radiotherapy with doses of 45-59.4 Gy at the primary site and neck nodes. Seven patients (77.8%) achieved complete remission, 1 (11.1%) achieved partial remission, and 1 (11.1%) showed disease progression. Six patients developed fluorouracil-related neurotoxicity; the regimen was changed to cisplatin, epirubicin, and bleomycin in five of the 6 patients. One patient died of progressive disease without responding to treatment. Treatment-related mortality occurred in 1 patient owing to septic shock. Secondary osteosarcoma developed in 1 patient 6 years after treatment. The overall survival was 77.8%, with a median follow-up of 40.8 months (range, 4.5-287.6 months).CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with advanced NPC treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy have a good survival rate.
Adolescent ; Bleomycin ; Carcinoma ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Child ; Cisplatin ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Drug Therapy ; Epirubicin ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Neck ; Osteosarcoma ; Pediatrics ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Shock, Septic ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation of the tympanic injection of triamcinolone acetonide, middle ear pressure (MEP) and radioactive secretory otitis media (RSOM) with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy. METHOD: Fifty-two patients suffering NPC without otitis media before radiotherapy were randomly divided into three groups. 17 cases with 34 ears were distributed into treatment group I, and radiotherapy 1 hour before the start of each side of the tympanic cavity injection of triamcinolone acetonide injection, 1-7 weeks 1 times a week. Treatment group I had 17 cases with 34 ears,and radiotherapy 1 hour before the start of each side of the tympanic cavity injection of triamcinolone acetonide injection, 1-12 weeks 1 times a week. And control group consisted of 18 cases with 36 ears who didn't accept such treatment. In all 104 ears, MEP was tested at the begin of radiotherapy and the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd month after radiotherapy. RESULT: From the beginning of radiotherapy to the end of th 1st, 2nd, 3rd month after radiotherapy, the morbidity of RSOM gradually increased and MEP decreased in the treatment group I , II and the control group, in which treatment group II showed the lowest morbidity of RSOM and MEP was maximum (P < 0.01), and the treatment group I showed the lower morbidity of RSOM and MEP was greater (P < 0. 05), while the control group showed the highest morbidity of RSOM and MEP was minimum (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Tympanic injection of triamcinolone acetonide could reduce radiation injury, and medication time was positively correlated with the MEP, and a negative correlation with RSOM morbidity, and the longer treatment, the more significant the effect is. The difference is most obvious at the end of 3rd month after radiotherapy. It may be due to the more active repairation after radiation damage in middle ears, but long-term efficacy must continue to observe.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; administration & dosage ; Carcinoma ; Ear, Middle ; Humans ; Injections ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; radiotherapy ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; drug therapy ; Radiation Injuries ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; administration & dosage

NPC is a high incidence of malignant tumors of the head and neck, and is currently used mainly radiotherapy based, supplemented by a comprehensive treatment of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which have serious complications and serious impact on the treatment of patients and quality of life. Polyphenols are the main component of tea. Studies have shown that tea polyphenols have a significant anti-tumor effect of im proving the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, reducing radiation damage, reducing conventional chemo therapy drugs IC50 and reducing the complications of chemotherapy. Tea polyphenols in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma has also made great progress. It has a strong inhibition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, and can greatly reduce the occurrence of xerostomia after radiotherapy, which is of important clinical research value.
Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Polyphenols ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Radiation-Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Tea ; chemistry

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and therapeutic effects of sudden deafness after radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. METHOD: Clinical data of 42 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients suffered from sudden deafness after radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 42 patients, 2 showed moderate deafness, 4 presented excessive deafness, 30 suffered from severe deafness, and 6 exhibited profound deafness. The audiogram pattern of 33 patients met with the type of high tone frequencies hearing loss, and that of the rest 9 cases showed hearing loss at all frequencies. All patients received medical therapy combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. RESULT: Of all the cases with hearing loss, 2 were cured, 2 showed excellent recovery, 9 came out partial recovery, and 29 showed no response to the treatment. The total effective rate was 30.95%. For the accompanied symptoms, none of the 30 cases of tinnitus were relieved, 3 out of 10 cases of aural fullness were cured, and the 5 cases of dizziness or vertigo were all improved. CONCLUSION The sudden deafness after radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma is closely related to radiotherapy. The hearing loss is serious, and the therapeutic effects are not satisfactory.
Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Carcinoma ; Dizziness ; etiology ; therapy ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; etiology ; therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; etiology ; therapy ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy ; adverse effects ; Retrospective Studies ; Tinnitus ; etiology ; therapy ; Vertigo ; etiology ; therapy