Report on loco regionally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemo-radiation therapy

Introduction Concurrent chemo-radiation therapy (CCRT) showed a significant improvement in disease control and clinical outcome in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with locoregional advanced disease. Effective induction chemotherapy has the potential to downsize locoregional disease prior to definitive treatment. Aim This study aimed to analyze the survival rate of NPC patients who received induction chemotherapy followed by CCRT. Methods An observational study was conducted on data of NPC patients diagnosed at the local setting between January 2007 and December 2011 with stage II-IVB. Twelve out of 16 (75 %) patients completed 1st-line treatment schedule of induction chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-FU (TPF) 3 cycles followed by CCRT with carboplatin 1.5 AUC day 1 and concurrent radiotherapy in day 1-5 weekly for 7 cycles. Results The median age was 51.5 (37-71) years. All cases had WHO type III pathology features and 8 (66.7 %) patients had bilateral enlargement masses. Most of cases were males (10, 83.3 %). The median of body mass index (BMI) was 22.5 (15.7-27.5). There were 4 (33.3 %) cases with stage II-III and 8 (66.7 %) cases with stage IVAIVB. Three-year survival rate of cases was 33.3 %. The frequency of patients achieving three-year survival was more frequent in females compared to males (50 % vs 30 %, p = 0.570), in patients with BMI ≤ 22.5 compared to >22.5 (50 % vs 16.67 %, p = 0.270), and in patients with stage II-III compared to IVA-IVB (50 % vs 25 %, p = 0.400). Conclusion In local patients receiving induction chemotherapy followed by CCRT, three- year survival was more frequently achieved by females, individuals with BMI ≤22.5 and stage II-III, even though no statistical significance reached.