BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Docetaxel and cisplatin (DDP) are effective drugs for head and neck tumors. Stage II-III clinical trial of TP regimen (docetaxel combined DDP) for head and neck tumors has completed. This study was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of TP regimen and PF regimen [DDP combined 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)] in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), to provide a new chemotherapeutic regimen for NPC.

METHODS

Twenty NPC patients treated in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University between Oct. 1, 2005 and Mar. 1, 2006 were subjected to study group (TP group). Twenty patients were chosen randomly from the 45 NPC patients treated with PF regimen between May 1, 2004 and Sep. 30, 2005 as control group (PF group). Both groups received concurrent radiotherapy. The efficacy and adverse events of the 2 groups were compared.

RESULTS

The mean number of chemotherapy cycles was significantly higher in TP group than in PF group (3.85 cycles vs. 2.75 cycles, P<0.001). After induction chemotherapy, in TP group, 18 achieved partial remission (PR) and 2 had stable disease (SD) for nasopharyngeal lesions, 7 achieved complete remission (CR), 11 achieved PR and 2 had SD for regional lymph nodes; in PF group, 17 achieved PR and 3 had SD for nasopharyngeal lesions, 2 achieved CR, 15 achieved PR and 1 had SD for regional lymph nodes. After concurrent chemoradiotherapy, all in TP group and 18 in PF group achieved CR for nasopharyngeal lesions, and 19 in TP group and 15 in PF group achieved CR for regional lymph nodes. There was no significant difference in efficacy between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The occurrence rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia were significantly higher in TP group than in PF group (40.5% vs. 0% after induction chemotherapy, 40.5% vs. 10.2% after concurrent radiochemotherapy, P<0.05). The occurrence rates of anemia and thrombocytopenia were significantly lower in TP group than in PF group (P<0.05). The uses of antibiotics and parenteral nutritional support in the 2 groups were similar.

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of TP regimen on NPC is similar to that of PF regimen, and the adverse events are tolerable, but the long-term outcomes and toxicities need to be further investigated.