Combined chemotherapy with cisplatin, docetaxel and capecitabine for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective analysis / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combined chemotherapy with docetaxel, capecitabine and cisplatin (TXP) in the treatment of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This retrospective analysis involved 22 patients with metastatic NPC receiving treatment with the TXP regimen. The patients were given docetaxel at 60 mg/m² on day 1, cisplatin at 20 mg/m² on days 1-3, and capecitabine at 1 250 mg/m² on days 1-14, and the treatment cycle was repeated ever 3 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 22 patients, 14 (63%) achieved partial remission, 2 (9%) had complete remission, and 5 (23%) showed stable disease. The overall clinical response rate of the patients was 72% with a 1-year survival rate of 68%, median progression-free survival of 8 months, and overall survival of 14 months. The main toxicity was myelosuppression; 7 (32%) patients experienced grade 3/4 neutropenia, and 5 (23%) had grade 3/4 anemia. All the other adverse effects were tolerable and reversible.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The TXP regimen is safe and effective for treatment of metastatic NPC, and the results are comparable with those of the reports in recent literatures.</p>