Chemoradiotherapy with weekly low-dose docetaxel and cisplatin concurrent with radiation for patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for selected patients.

Objective: We investigated the efficacy and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy using weekly low-dose docetaxel and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 31 patients who were treated with this regimen from 2001 to 2014. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy consisted of radiotherapy with a total dose of 59.4-70.2 Gy plus weekly administration of docetaxel (5-10 mg/m) and cisplatin (20 mg/m), up to six cycles. At least two cycles of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy were prescribed for Stage IV and Stage III patients with partial response or stable disease after concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Results: Of the 31 patients, 28 (90%) completed concurrent chemoradiotherapy as planned. The overall complete response and partial response rates were 42% and 52%, respectively. Seventeen of the 21 patients who were prescribed adjuvant chemotherapy underwent it. After a median follow-up of 39.1 months for the 23 surviving patients, 9 (29%) developed locoregional recurrence or progression and 6 patients (19%) developed distant metastasis. The 3-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 76% and 56%, respectively. Univariate analyses revealed that clinical stage was a significant predictor of complete response, overall survival and progression-free survival. The most serious adverse events were mucositis during concurrent chemoradiotherapy and neutropenia during adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions: This concurrent chemoradiotherapy protocol showed practical efficacy with high feasibility and acceptable toxicity. To improve the progression-free survival of patients with Stage IV disease who are treated by this protocol, changes to their treatment strategy should be considered.