Maintenance metronomic chemotherapy for metastatic/recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

We investigated the survival impact and toxicity of maintenance metronomic chemotherapy in patients with metastatic/recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (met/rec NPC).

METHODS:

Ninety-eight patients with met/rec NPC were first salvaged by IV cisplatin-based chemotherapy and showed nonprogression disease; then maintenance metronomic chemotherapy for at least 12 months was recommended. We analyzed the treatment outcome between patients who received (n = 51) and did not receive (n = 47) maintenance chemotherapy.

RESULTS:

Baseline patient characteristics showed no significant differences between both arms. Median overall survival for patients with and without maintenance chemotherapy was 36.0 and 12.3 months, respectively (p < 0.0001). Similarly, median progression-free survival was 24.7 and 7.3 months, respectively (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, toxicities during maintenance oral chemotherapy period were usually mild. Transient grade 3 leucopenia (9.8%), anemia (3.9%), thrombocytopenia (7.8%), and no grade 4 toxicity were observed.

CONCLUSION:

After IV salvage chemotherapy, maintenance oral metronomic chemotherapy significantly improved overall and progression-free survivals while demonstrating low toxicity in patients with met/rec NPC.

• Authors: Chih-Wen Twu, Po-Ju Lin, Hsiao-Hui Tsou, Yi-Chun Liu, Rong-San Jiang, Kai-Li Liang, Tian-Yun Lin, Wen-Yi Wang, Jin-Ching Lin
• Journal: Head & neck (Head Neck) Vol. 44 Issue 6 Pg. 1453-1461 (06 2022) ISSN: 1097-0347 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35362634 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Chemical References

• Cisplatin

Topics

• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Cisplatin
• Disease-Free Survival
• Humans
• Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (drug therapy)
• Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (pathology)
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (pathology)
• Salvage Therapy