ABSTRACT
Five children, 11-16 years of age at diagnosis, with advanced (stage IV) undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma, are reviewed. All had radiotherapy and chemotherapy, four at first treatment, are disease free in 3 months, 6, 10, and 13 years from diagnosis. One patient who had radiotherapy only as primary treatment and chemotherapy for metastases, died 15 months from diagnosis. One patient who received 60 Gy and chemotherapy according to the BACON protocol had severe early toxicity and severe late sequelae of treatment. Three patients who received chemotherapy according to a modified UICC-2 protocol for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 50 to 54 Gy to the primary site had only mild early toxicity and mild late effects of treatment. With lower radiation doses, adjusted to the effect of preradiation chemotherapy, complete tumor control was achieved and acute and long-term morbidity reduced.
