Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus conventional radiotherapy or accelerated hyperfractionation in stage III and IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma--a phase II study.

A prospective phase II trial was initiated in previously untreated patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The goal was to achieve improvement in locoregional control, disease-free interval and overall survival using induction chemotherapy and to compare conventional fractionation (CF) with an accelerated hyperfractionation (AHF) regimen. Fifty patients were treated (5 AJCC Stage III, 45 Stage IV) with induction chemotherapy consisting of two cycles of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. Patients were then randomized between CF and AHF therapy. A clinical response to induction chemotherapy was reported in 86% of patients prior to radiotherapy (44% complete response, 42% partial response). Patients with complete or major partial responses to induction chemotherapy had a significantly better 5-year overall survival (60%) and disease-free interval (59%) than those with no response or minor partial response (15% and 18% p = 0.009 and 0.0009). Acute radiation reactions were more pronounced in the AHF group (p = 0.0002), and the incidence of late normal tissue injury was more frequent (p = 0.08). At 5 years, the locoregional control rate was higher in the AHF arm (76%) than in the CF group (54%), but the difference was not significant (HR, 0.52; 95%, Cl, 0.15-2.83; p = 0.186). With a median follow-up period of 55 months (range 4-120), the 5-year disease-free interval and overall survival rates were more favorable in the AHF group than in the CF group, but the differences were not significant (59% and 54% vs. 34% and 36%, respectively, HR for disease-free interval = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.27-1.88; p=0.198 and HR for overall survival = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.37-1.78; p=0.433). The overall treatment failure rate was 48%. Locoregional failures occurred in 12 patients (24%) and the incidence of distant metastases reached 30%. Response to induction chemotherapy is strongly predictive for locoregional control, disease-free interval and overall survival. Accelerated hyperfractionation was associated with high incidence of acute and late toxicity without significant improvement in locoregional control rate. The optimal chemotherapy dose and sequencing with radiotherapy needs to be investigated in future studies. Distant metastases remain the main cause of treatment failure in NPC.