Quality analysis of multi-source data for health management in major chronic diseases in Baoshan District of Shanghai / 上海预防医学

Objective An analysis of informationized multi-platform big data was conducted to learn about the quality change of health management data for hypertension and diabetes patients in Baoshan District of Shanghai since 2017.The result provided important information for further evaluation of the effect of quality control measures, and the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Methods Height, weight, blood glucose level, diagnosis and treatment information were collected from different databases of patients with hypertension and diabetes in Baoshan District from 2017 to 2019, and the consistency of the data from different sources was analyzed. Results Both the percentages of weight and height inconsistency among patients with hypertension and diabetes together were lower in 2019 than in 2017 (10.99% vs 18.72%, χ2=822.38, P < 0.001 and 0.86% vs 2.74%, χ2=347.03, P < 0.001, respectively).In 2019, the percentage of registered hypertensive patients with abnormal traceability from diagnosis was higher than that in 2017 (12.67% vs 11.72%, χ2=4.01, P=0.045).Similar results were also obtained in patients with diabetes.Analysis of glycated hemoglobin value last position in diabetic patients showed that the coefficient of variation of the last position composition ratio of the value in 2019 was significantly lower than that in 2017 (0.19 vs 0.31).The ratio in patients with the last position of glycosylated hemoglobin value of 0 was lower in 2019(4 701 cases, 12.72%) than that in 2017 (9 485 cases, 17.14%), and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion The study result shows an improvement in quality management of hypertension and diabetes in Baoshan District of Shanghai.Information technology should be more widely used in promoting technical standardization, strengthening technical training, data quality control and effect evaluation.

Screening of endophytic fungi against southern blight disease pathogen-Sclerotium delphinii in Dendrobium catenatum / 中国中药杂志

In order to screen the endophytic fungi that can enhance the host(Dendrobium catenatum) resistance to Sclerotium delphinii, the antagonism between each of the 43 endophytic fungi and the pathogen S. delphinii were tested. The results showed that 6 endophytic fungi(DCR2, DCR5, DCR21, DCR22, DCR42, DCR43) have strong activities against the pathogen, the inhibition rates were 49.2%, 49.2%, 47.2%, 56.2%, 53.2%, 48.0%, respectively. Then D. catenatum plantlets were inoculated with both S. delphinii and each of these six endophytic fungi. As a result, the incidence rates of leaves and stems of the D. catenatum plantlets inoculated with DCR2 and the pathogen were both significantly lower than those with other treatments, and the plantlet death rate was 0. It showed that DCR2 Trichoderma polysporum could effectively inhibit the southern blight disease of D. catenatum. Through the endophytic fungal re-isolation test, it was found that DCR2 can colonize in the roots, stems, and leaves of D. catenatum. The research will provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of the southern blight disease of D. catenatum. It is also significant for reducing pesticide use, ensuring food safety, and promoting the sustainable development of D. catenatum industry. Furthermore, it will provide a basis for the disease control in other crops.

Occurrence regularity of Dendrobium catenatum southern blight disease / 中国中药杂志

In order to scientifically prevent and control Dendrobium catenatum southern blight disease,the main factors related to this disease occurrence,the pathogen( Sclerotium delphinii),environmental factors( temperature and humidity) and D. catenatum germplasms,were investigated. The results showed that reaching 25-30 ℃ temperature and over 95% humidity simultaneously should be the main conditions for the occurrence and prevalence of D. catenatum southern blight disease. Moreover,the S. delphinii-infected plants and their contaminated substrates were the disease spreading sources. Therefore,removing the infected plants,dealing with the contaminated substrates,keeping air ventilation,and reducing air humidity are the effective ways to prevent and control the occurrence and prevalence of D. catenatum southern blight disease. The research also indicated that D. catenatum has different resistances to the southern blight disease depending on germplasm. The present study lays important foundations for the breeding of D. catenatum diseaseresistant varieties and the further analysis of the infection and resistance mechanisms underlying southern blight disease.

Subdivision of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients with Bone-Only Metastasis at Diagnosis for Prediction of Survival and Treatment Guidance / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to subdivide M1 stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with bone-only metastases for prognosis prediction while identifying the treatment effect of locoregional radiotherapy (LRRT) and metastasis radiotherapy (MRT) among patients with different risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 2006 to October 2016, a total of 226 patients with bone-only metastasic NPC were retrospectively enrolled. All patients developed distant lesions before receiving treatment. All potential prognostic factors were considered and the correlation of the M1 subdivisions with overall survival (OS) was determined by Cox regression hazards model. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to appraise survival condition and log-rank testing was used to compare the differences. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 33.9 months (range, 3 to 126 months). According to multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, the number of metastatic lesions and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA status after palliative chemotherapy (PCT) were independent prognostic factors for OS. Thus, we subdivided patients into three risk groups according to these two factors. Systemic chemotherapy combined with LRRT may benefit patients in low- and intermediate-risk groups but not in the high-risk group. Further aggressive MRT based on systemic chemotherapy showed no survival benefit in any risk group. CONCLUSION: The stratification of NPC patients with bone-only metastasis based on EBV DNA after PCT and the number of metastatic lesions provided promising prognostic value and could aid clinicians in person-specific treatment.

Patterns of Failure and Survival Trends in 3,808 Patients with Stage II Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosed from 1990 to 2012: A Large-Scale Retrospective Cohort Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival trends and patterns of failure in patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy over the last 20 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight hundred and eight patients diagnosed with stage II NPC between January 1990 and December 2012 were involved in this retrospective cohort study. All patients were treated with RT. According to the main imaging techniques and RT technology, we categorized these patients into four calendar periods: 1990-1996, 1997-2002, 2003-2007, and 2008-2012. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS) were served as the clinical outcome. RESULTS: After a median follow-up period of 84.7 months, we observed increasing trends in survival and disease control. The 3- and 5-year OS rates increased from 87.1% and 78.7% in the first calendar period to 97.4% and 94.5% in the last calendar period, respectively (p<0.001). Additionally, significant increasing trends could be seen in the PFS and LRFS during the four calendar periods. In the subgroup analysis, the LRFS in patients older than 50 years at diagnosis showed greater improvement than younger patients. However, the rate of distant metastasis was stable and relatively low, as the 5-year DMFS ranged from 90.5% to 94.7% among the four calendar periods. CONCLUSION: The survival rates in patients with stage II NPC showed increasing trends from 1990 to 2012. The advance of RT provided excellent locoregional control and enhanced OS.

Combination of Tumor Volume and Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Improved Prognostic Stratification of Stage II Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy Era: A Large-Scale Cohort Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Little is known about combination of the circulating Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) DNA and tumor volume in prognosis of stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in the intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. We conducted this cohort study to evaluate the prognostic values of combining these two factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By Kaplan-Meier, we compare the differences of survival curves between 385 patients with different EBV DNA or tumor volume levels, or with the combination of two biomarkers mentioned above. RESULTS: Gross tumor volume of cervical lymph nodes (GTVnd, p 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal ≥ 30 cm³). When patients in the low-risk group were compared with those in the high-risk group, 3-year PFS (p=0.003), LRFS (p=0.010), and DMFS (p=0.031) rates were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment plasma EBV DNA and tumor volume were both closely correlated with prognosis of stage II NPC patients in the IMRT era. Combination of EBV DNA and tumor volume can refine prognosis and indicate for clinical therapy.

Pretreatment Serum Amyloid A and C-reactive Protein Comparing with Epstein-Barr Virus DNA as Prognostic Indicators in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Prospective Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The measuring Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA is an important predictor of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study evaluated the predictive value of pretreatment serum amyloid A (SAA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) comparing with EBV DNA in patients with NPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an observational study of 419 non-metastatic NPC patients, we prospectively evaluated the prognostic effects of pretreatment SAA, CRP, and EBV DNA on survival. The primary end-point was progress-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: The median level of SAA and CRP was 4.28 mg/L and 1.88 mg/L, respectively. For the high-SAA group (> 4.28 mg/L) versus the low-SAA (≤ 4.28 mg/L) group and the high-CRP group (> 1.88 mg/L) versus the low-CRP (≤ 1.88 mg/L) group, the 5-year PFS was 64.5% versus 73.1% (p=0.013) and 65.2% versus 73.3% (p=0.064), respectively. EBV DNA detection showed a superior predictive result, the 5-year PFS in the EBV DNA ≥ 1,500 copies/mL group was obviously different than the EBV DNA < 1,500 copies/mL group (62.2% versus 77.8%, p < 0.001). Multifactorial Cox regression analysis confirmed that in the PFS, the independent prognostic factors were including EBV DNA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.788; p=0.009), tumour stage (HR, 1.903; p=0.021), and node stage (HR, 1.498; p=0.049), but the SAA and CRP were not included in the independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: The results of SAA and CRP had a certain relationship with the prognosis of NPC, and the prognosis of patients with high level of SAA and CRP were poor. However, the predictive ability of SAA and CRP was lower than that of EBV DNA.

Induction Chemotherapy Plus Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Versus Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Alone in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Children and Adolescents: A Matched Cohort Analysis / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical outcome and toxicity of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) compared with CCRT alone for the treatment of children and adolescent locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LACANPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 194 locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients youngerthan 21 years who received CCRT with or without IC before were included in the study population. Overall survival (OS) rate, progression-free survival (PFS) rate, locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rate, and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rate were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and a log-rank test. Treatment toxicities were clarified and compared between two groups. RESULTS: One hundred and thiry of 194 patients received IC+CCRT. Patients who were younger and with more advanced TNM stage were more likely to receive IC+CCRT and intensive modulated radiotherapy. The addition of IC before CCRT failed to improve survival significantly. The matched analysis identified 43 well-balanced patients in both two groups. With a median follow-up of 51.5 months, no differences were found between the IC+CCRT group and the CCRT group in 5-year OS (83.7% vs. 74.6%, p=0.153), PFS (79.2% vs. 73.4%, p=0.355), LRFS (97.7% vs. 88.2%, p=0.083), and DMFS (81.6% vs. 81.6%, p=0.860). N3 was an independent prognostic factor predicting poorer OS, PFS, and DMFS. The addition of IC was associated with increased rates of grade 3 to 4 neutropenia. CONCLUSION: This study failed to demonstrate that adding IC before CCRT could provide a significant additional survival benefit for LACANPC patients. Further investigations are warranted.

Curcumin Attenuates Allergic Airway Inflammation of Young Mice through Inhibiting the Activation of p38 MAPK and AKT / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

[Objective]To investigate the effects of dietary curcumin on the prevention and treatment of allergic airway inflamma?tion in young mice for simulating the allergic airway inflammation of 3-12 years old children.[Methods]The 4 weeks young female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups (n=8): Control group, Model group and curcumin group (800 mg curcumin/ kg diet). 24 h after the last OVA challenge, the symptoms of mice in each group were observed, the inflammatory cells in the bronchoalve?olar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured, various kinds of blood cells were detected, the inflammatory cells around the peribronchial ar?eas stained by H&E and the goblet cell hyperplasia in the lungs stained by PAS were analyzed. Additionally, the IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 in the BALF and the total IgE level in the plasma were detected by ELISA, and the activation of p38 MAPK and AKT was measured by western blot.[Results]The mice of model group showed the symptoms of allergic airway inflammation, such as repeatedly scratched the noses, showed nodding breath, notably, the weight of model mice was decreased significantly during the OVA challenge phase, while the symptoms mentioned above were alleviated in curcurmin group. The blood cells test found that the curcumin could in?hibit the elevation of the eosinophils significantly (P<0.05). Dietary curcumin treatment significantly decreased the inflammatory cells in the BALF and peribronchial areas, and the IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 levels in the BALF were significantly inhibited (P<0.05). The goblet cell hyperplasia was attenuated by curcumin treatment, and the dietary curcumin inhibited the activation of p38 MAPK and AKT sig?naling.[Conclusions]Dietary curcumin can alleviate the allergic airway inflammation of young mice, which may through inhibiting the transduction of p-38 MAPK and AKT signaling.

Elevated peripheral blood lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio predicts a favorable prognosis in the patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 癌症

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) have variable survival outcomes. We have previously shown that an elevated peripheral blood lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) is associated with an increased metastatic risk in patients with primary NPC. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of pretreatment LMR in a large cohort of metastatic NPC patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of 672 patients with metastatic NPC diagnosed between January 2003 and December 2009 were analyzed. The peripheral lymphocyte and monocyte counts were retrieved, and LMR was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards analyses were performed to evaluate the association of LMR with overall survival (OS).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Univariate analysis revealed that an elevated absolute lymphocyte count (≥1.390×10(9)/L) and LMR (≥2.475) as well as a decreased monocyte count (<0.665×10(9)/L) were significantly associated with prolonged OS. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that LMR (hazard ratio [HR]=0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.41-0.60, P<0.001), absolute lymphocyte count (HR=0.77, 95% CI=0.64-0.93, P=0.007), and monocyte count (HR=1.98, 95% CI=1.63-2.41, P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors. By stratification analyses, only LMR remained a significant predictor of prognosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>We identified pretreatment LMR as an independent prognostic factor for patients with metastatic NPC. Independent validation of our findings is needed.</p>

Randomized study of sinusoidal chronomodulated versus flat intermittent induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil followed by traditional radiotherapy for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 癌症

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radiotherapy is the most common treatment regimen for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Whether chronomodulated infusion of chemotherapy can reduce its toxicity is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the toxic and therapeutic effects of sinusoidal chronomodulated infusion versus flat intermittent infusion of cisplatin (DDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) followed by radiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced NPC. Patients with biopsy-diagnosed untreated stages III and IV NPC (according to the 2002 UICC staging system) were randomized to undergo 2 cycles of sinusoidal chronomodulated infusion (Arm A) or flat intermittent constant rate infusion (Arm B) of DDP and 5-FU followed by radical radiotherapy. Using a "MELODIE" multi-channel programmed pump, the patients were given 12-hour continuous infusions of DDP (20 mg/m2) and 5-FU (750 mg/m2) for 5 days, repeated every 3 weeks for 2 cycles. DDP was administered from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, and 5-FU was administered from 10:00 pm to 10:00 am each day. Chronomodulated infusion was performed in Arm A, with the peak deliveries of 5-FU at 4:00 am and DDP at 4:00 pm. The patients in Arm B underwent a constant rate of infusion. Radiotherapy was initiated in the fifth week, and both arms were treated with the same radiotherapy techniques and dose fractions. Between June 2004 and June 2006, 125 patients were registered, and 124 were eligible for analysis of response and toxicity. The major toxicity observed during neoadjuvant chemotherapy was neutropenia. The incidence of acute toxicity was similar in both arms. During radiotherapy, the incidence of stomatitis was significantly lower in Arm A than in Arm B (38.1% vs. 59.0%, P = 0.020). No significant differences were observed for other toxicities. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 88.9%, 82.4%, and 74.8% for Arm A and 91.8%, 90.2%, and 82.1% for Arm B. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year progression-free survival rates were 91.7%, 88.1%, and 85.2% for Arm A and 100%, 94.5%, and 86.9% for Arm B. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rates were 82.5%, 79.1%, and 79.1% for Arm A and 90.2%, 85.2%, and 81.7% for Arm B. Chronochemotherapy significantly reduced stomatitis but was not superior to standard chemotherapy in terms of hematologic toxicities and therapeutic response.

Ex vivo expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients for adoptive immunotherapy / 癌症

Establishing Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes(EBV-CTLs) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) for adoptive immunotherapy has been reported in EBV-associated malignancies including Hodgkin's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). In the current study, we performed ex vivo expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs) obtained from NPC biopsy specimens with a rapid expansion protocol using anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody(OKT3), recombinant human interleukin(IL)-2, and irradiated PBMCs from healthy donors to initiate the growth of TILs. Young TIL cultures comprised of more than 90% of CD3+ T cells, a variable percentage of CD3+CD8+ and CD3+CD4+ T cells, and less than 10% of CD3-CD16+ natural killer cells, a similar phenotype of EBV-CTL cultures from PBMCs. Interestingly, TIL cultures secreted high levels of the Th1 cytokines, interferon gamma (IFNγ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and low levels of the Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10. Moreover, young TILs could recognize autologous EBV-transformed B lymphoblast cell lines, but not autologous EBV-negative blast cells or allogeneic EBV-negative tumor cells. Taken together, these data suggest that ex vivo expansion of TILs from NPC biopsy tissue is an appealing alternative method to establish T cell-based immunotherapy for NPC.

Detection of nasopharyngeal carcinoma using surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization mass spectrometry profiles of the serum proteome / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>Early diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is difficult due to the insufficient specificity of the conventional examination method. This study was to investigate potential and consistent biomarkers for NPC, particularly for early detection of NPC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A proteomic pattern was identified in a training set (134 NPC patients and 73 control individuals) using the surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization-mass spectrometry (SELDI-MS), and used to screen the test set (44 NPC patients and 25 control individuals) to determine the screening accuracy. To confirm the accuracy, it was used to test another group of 52 NPC patients and 32 healthy individuals at 6 months later.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight proteomic biomarkers with top-scored peak mass/charge ratios (m/z) of 8605 Da, 5320 Da, 5355 Da, 5380 Da, 5336 Da, 2791 Da, 7154 Da, and 9366 Da were selected as the potential biomarkers of NPC with a sensitivity of 90.9% (40/44) and a specificity of 92.0% (23/25). The performance was better than the current diagnostic method by using the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen IgA antibodies (VCA/IgA). Similar sensitivity (88.5%) and specificity (90.6%) were achieved in another group of 84 samples.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SELDI-MS profiling might be a potential tool to identify patients with NPC, particularly at early clinical stages.</p>

Phase I study of TPF neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical radiotherapy in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>PF regimen is the standard chemotherapy for advanced head and neck cancers including nasopharyngeal cancer. Recently PF has been found to enhance the tumor control by addition of Taxotere. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of TPF neoadjuvant regimen (taxotere, cisplatin (DDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)) followed by radical radiotherapy in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between December 2006 and May 2008, 41 patients with newly diagnosed UICC stage III or IV advanced nasopharyngeal cancer were enrolled. There were 29 male and 12 female patients, with a median age of 47 years (range, 29-60 years), and ECOG performance status < or = 2. The initial dose was taxotere 40 mg/m(2) d1, DDP 40 mg/m(2) d1, and 5-FU 400 mg/m(2) d1-5. The treatment was repeated every 3 weeks for two cycles. Each dose of taxotere and DDP was increased by 5 mg/m(2) and 5-FU by 50 mg/m(2), respectively. The dose was escalated after six patients completed two cycles at the initial dose and DLT was assessed. Radiotherapy was started from the 5th week, with 68-72 Gy/34-36 fractions delivered to the nasopharynx and 60-66 Gy/30-33 fractions to the node-positive area.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Forty patients (79 cycles) were evaluated for toxicity and efficacy of the therapy. No DLT occurred at the dose levels 1-4. At dose level 5, three of six patients experienced DLT including grade III/IV neutropenia lasting more than 1 week. Two of them also had grade III mucositis, leading to the interruption of radiotherapy for more than 1 week. Three more new patients were retreated with the same dose (at dose level 6) under the G-CSF support, and no DLT occurred. Dose escalation continued to level 7, and DLT was found in all of the four patients, including three grade IV neutropenia, one of them had fever and pneumonitis; three grade III diarrhea; and one grade III mucositis lasting 10 days. Dose escalation was stopped and three more new patients were treated again at dose level 5 and no DLT was found. Other severe toxicities included grade III anemia (1 patients), grade III vomiting (4 patients), and grade III weight loss (9 patients). No severe hepatic and renal toxicities were found.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TPF neoadjuvant chemotherapy is a safe and effective regimen in the treatment of advanced NPC, with recommended doses of taxotere 60 mg/m(2) d1, DDP 60 mg/m(2) d1, and 5-FU 600 mg/m(2) d1-5.</p>

Comparison of the short-term efficacy of two inductive chemotherapy regimens for locally advanced nasopharyngeal caricinoma: docetaxal plus carboplatin versus 5-fluorouracil plus carboplatin / 癌症

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>The platinum-based chemotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is most frequently used for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the efficacy has been maintained at 50%-60%. Docetaxel is an effective drug for head and neck tumors, its administration is simple, and the administration time is short. This study was to compare the short-term efficacy and toxicity between TC regimen (inductive chemotherapy with docetaxol plus carboplatin) and FC regimen (5-FU plus carboplatin) in local advanced NPC so as to provide a new chemotherapeutic regimen for NPC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-eight local advanced NPC patients without previous treatment in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were randomly assigned to receive either TC or FC regimen inductive chemotherapy, followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with two cycles of carboplatin (AUC=6) plus radiotherapy of 60-78 Gy to the nasopharynx and 60-70 Gy to the neck. The short-term efficacy and adverse events were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>More chemotherapy cycles were finished in TC group than in FC group (3.31 vs. 2.83, P = 0.043). There was no significant difference in short-term efficacy and 1-year survival rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). More grades 3-4 neutropenia appeared in TC group than in FC group (72.4% vs. 37.9%, P < 0.05) , whereas less thrombocytopenia and emesis occurred in TC than in FC group (P = 0.013 and 0.018, respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The short-term efficacy of TC regimen in local advanced NPC is similar to that of FC regimen with tolerable adverse events. But the long-term outcomes and toxicities need to be further investigated.</p>