Chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy in patients with locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma

• Published in: Head & neck Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 549 - 554
• Main Authors: Wong, Zee-Wan, Tan, Eng-Huat, Yap, Swee-Peng, Tan, Terence, Leong, Swan-Swan, Fong, Kam-Weng, Wee, Joseph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.06.2002; John Wiley & Sons
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Chemotherapy; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Cisplatin - therapeutic use; Disease Progression; Diseases of the upper aerodigestive tract; Ent and stomatology; Female; Fluorouracil - therapeutic use; Humans; locoregional; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - mortality; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - radiotherapy; Palliative Care; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; radiotherapy; Radiotherapy Dosage; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Retrospective Studies; Human; Relapse; Carcinoma; Indication; Nasopharynx; Malignant tumor; Regional; Radiotherapy; Premises; Retrospective; Chemotherapy; ENT disease; Pharynx disease; Combined treatment; Therapeutic protocol
• ISSN: 1043-3074; 1097-0347
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.10098

Background Treatment of locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is challenging because of prior radiotherapy, morbidities from disease recurrence, and limited therapeutic options available. Methods A retrospective study of patients with locoregionally recurrent NPC. Result Between March 1994 and December 1999, there were 42 patients; most were Chinese (98%) men (81%) with undifferentiated NPC (86%). A repeat course of radiotherapy was feasible in 20 patients and given concurrently with cisplatin followed by adjuvant cisplatin/5‐fluorouracil (PF) (group 1). The remaining 22 (group 2) received palliative chemotherapy (PF) with a response rate of 50%. Significant morbidities resulted from cranial nerve palsies. The 2‐year progression‐free survival of patients in group 1 was expectedly better (58% vs 38%). Six (14%) developed systemic metastases at 12 months (median) from first recurrence. Conclusion Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locoregional recurrent NPC seems promising. The morbidity experienced resulted from locoregional disease with few progressing to develop systemic involvement. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 549–554, 2002