The Role of Induction Gemcitabine and Cisplatin in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Era of IMRT

Patients with non-keratinizing NPC T1-4N2-3或T3-4N0-1M0 (UICC/AJCC 7th edition) are randomly assigned to receive induction chemotherapy or CCRT alone. Patients in experimental group receive gemcitabine (1000 mg/m² d1,8) and cisplatin (80mg/m² d1) every 3 weeks for 2 cycles before intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Patients in control group receive IMRT concurrently with weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m² up to 7cycles.

IMRT is given as 2.0-2.33 Gy per fraction with five daily fractions per week for 6-7 weeks to a total dose of 66 Gy or greater to the primary tumor.

Our primary endpoint is failure-free survival (FFS). Secondary end points include overall survival (OS), locoregional failure-free survival (LR-FFS), distant failure-free survival (D-FFS) rates and toxic effects. All efficacy analyses are conducted in the intention-to-treat population, and the safety population include only patients who receive their randomly assigned treatment.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with newly histologically confirmed non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (including WHO II or III).
• Tumor staged as T1-4N2-3或T3-4N0-1M0 (according to the 7th AJCC edition).
• Satisfactory performance status: Karnofsky scale (KPS) ≥ 70.
• Adequate marrow: leucocyte count ≥ 4000/μL, hemoglobin ≥ 90g/L and platelet count ≥ 100000/μL.
• Adequate liver function: Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) < 1.5×upper limit of normal (ULN) concomitant with alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ≤ 2.5×ULN, and bilirubin ≤1.5×ULN.
• Adequate renal function: creatinine clearance ≥ 60 ml/min.
• Patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and give written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• WHO Type keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma or basaloid squamous cell carcinoma.
• Treatment with palliative intent.
• Prior malignancy except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer.
• Pregnancy or lactation (consider pregnancy test in women of child-bearing age and emphasize effective contraception during the treatment period).
• History of previous RT (except for non-melanomatous skin cancers outside intended RT treatment volume).
• Prior chemotherapy or surgery (except diagnostic) to primary tumor or nodes.
• Any severe intercurrent disease, which may bring unacceptable risk or affect the compliance of the trial, for example, unstable cardiac disease requiring treatment, renal disease, chronic hepatitis, diabetes with poor control (fasting plasma glucose > 1.5×ULN), and emotional disturbance.