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Chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy in patients with locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Author(s) -
Wong ZeeWan,
Tan EngHuat,
Yap SweePeng,
Tan Terence,
Leong SwanSwan,
Fong KamWeng,
Wee Joseph
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.10098
Subject(s) - medicine , nasopharyngeal carcinoma , radiation therapy , cisplatin , chemoradiotherapy , chemotherapy , oncology , fluorouracil , retrospective cohort study , surgery
Abstract 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