Chemotherapy In Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Research Articles

Radiomic analysis of MRI for prediction of response to induction chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

To establish and validate radiomic models for response prediction to induction chemotherapy (IC) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) using the radiomic features from pretreatment MRI. This retrospective analysis included 184 consecutive NPC patients, 132 in the primary cohort and 52 in the validation cohort. Radiomic features were derived from contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1) and T2-weighted imaging (T2-WI) for each subject. The radiomic features were then selected and combined with clinical characteristics to build radiomic models. The potential of the radiomic models was evaluated based on its discrimination and calibration. To measure the performance of these radiomic models in predicting the treatment response to IC in NPC, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were used. Four radiomic models were constructed in the present study including the radiomic signature of CE-T1, T2-WI, CE-T1 + T2-WI, and the radiomic nomogram of CE-T1. The radiomic signature of CE-T1 + T2-WI performed well in distinguishing response and non-response to IC in patients with NPC, which yielded an AUC of 0.940 (95% CI, 0.885-0.974), sensitivity of 83.1%, specificity of 91.8%, and accuracy of 87.1% in the primary cohort, and AUC of 0.952 (95% CI, 0.855-0.992), sensitivity of 74.2%, specificity of 95.2%, and accuracy of 82.7% in the validation cohort. MRI-based radiomic models could be helpful for personalised risk stratification and treatment in NPC patients receiving IC.

A Commentary on: Long-term outcomes of induction chemotherapy followed by intensity modulated radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with N3 disease

A Commentary on: Long-term outcomes of induction chemotherapy followed by intensity modulated radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with N3 disease

Long-term outcomes of induction chemotherapy followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with N3 disease

ObjectivesTo evaluate long-term outcomes of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with N3 disease. Materials and methodsFrom September 2005 to August 2016, 143 patients confirmed NPC with the 8th AJCC/UICC staging criteria N3 were reviewed. All patients received IC followed by IMRT and AC. ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 67 months, the 5-year and 10-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), local progression-free survival (LPFS) and regional progression-free survival (RPFS) were 75.7% and 61.6%, 61.2% and 53.4%, 73.1% and 72.1%, 92.4% and 87%, 88.9% and 81.8%, respectively. Multivariate analyses indicated that T stage (P = 0.001) appeared to be prognostic factors for OS. T stage (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002) and neck lymph node necrosis (P = 0.015 and P = 0.045) were independent predictors of PFS and DMFS. The acute toxicities were mainly grade 1/2 hematologic toxicities in patients treated with IC+IMRT+AC, and severe toxicities were uncommon. ConclusionsIC followed by IMRT and AC achieved satisfactory long-term survival outcomes in NPC patients with N3 disease. Neck lymph node necrosis and late T stage served as predictors of poor prognosis for patients.

Outcomes of Adding Induction Chemotherapy to Concurrent Chemotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients with Moderate-Risk in the Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Era.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of induction chemotherapy (IC) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with moderate-risk treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).MethodsWe retrospectively assessed 506 patients with T1-2N1M0 or T3-4N0-1M0 NPC (according to the 2010 UICC/AJCC staging system) who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with or without IC at a single center in China between 2005 and 2010. Survival outcomes were compared between the IC + CCRT and CCRT groups using the Kaplan–Meier method, Log-rank test and a Cox regression model.ResultsAmong the 506 patients, CCRT alone resulted in equivalent overall survival (86.8% vs 88.5%, p=0.661), progression-free survival (79.6% vs 79.6%, p=0.756), locoregional relapse-free survival (90.2% vs 87.0%, p=0.364) and distant metastasis-free survival (88.0% vs 89.8%, p=0.407) to IC plus CCRT. In multivariate analysis, IC did not lower the risk of death (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.46–1.25, p=0.278), progression (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.51–1.19, p=0.244), locoregional relapse (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.81–1.42, p=0.651) or distant metastasis (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.38–1.15, p=0.140) in the entire cohort; similar results were obtained in stratified analysis based on N category (N0 vs N1) and EBV DNA (< vs ≥4000 copies/mL).ConclusionAddition of IC to CCRT does not improve survival outcomes in moderate-risk NPC; the use of IC should be carefully considered in these patients, though additional prospective trials are warranted to confirm the conclusions of this study.

Clinical evaluation of vascular normalization induced by recombinant human endostatin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma via dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.

BackgroundThe present study confirmed the presence and exact range of “vascular normalization window” induced by recombinant human endostatin (RHES) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by analyzing the variation of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCE-US) quantitative parameters. Also, the clinical application of DCE-US in the evaluation of vascular normalization was assessed.Materials and methodsA total of 30 previously untreated patients with stage III–IVA NPC were enrolled in the present study and were randomly but equally divided into RHES (endostar [ES]) and normal saline (NS) groups. The patients in the ES group were administered RHES intravenously, while the patients in the NS group were administered normal saline daily for 5 days prior to intensity modulated radiotherapy coupled with concurrent chemotherapy. All patients underwent DCE-US on the day before the administration and on days 3 and 5 subsequently. The Audio Video Interleave of each DCE-US examination was analyzed quantitatively using the CHI-Q software. Several parameters were investigated, such as peak intensity (PI), time to peak (TTP), and mean transit time (MTT).ResultsThe PI, TTP, and MTT differed significantly at the three time points in the ES group (all P<0.001) but not in the NS group (all P>0.05). In the ES group, PI increased and subsequently decreased, whereas TTP, as well as MTT, lessened initially and then increased within the 5 days after administration of RHES. The maximum value of PI and the minimum value of TTP, as well as MTT, occurred on day 3 (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the values of PI, TTP, and MTT were similar prior to the administration of RHES in both groups (all P>0.05). However, the PI of the ES group was significantly higher (P<0.05), whereas the TTP and the MTT were significantly lower following administration of RHES (all P<0.05) compared with the corresponding parameters of the NS group.ConclusionDCE-US is a suitable method for the clinical evaluation of vascular normalization induced by antiangiogenic agents. The “vascular normalization window” induced by RHES occurs in patients with NPC, and the exact range is within about 5 days post-administration, which contributes towards optimizing the modality of RHES combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy for NPC patients.

Correlation Between Superoxide Dismutase Serum Level Alteration with Neck Metastatic Tumor Post Cisplatin-Paclitaxel Chemotherapy Response in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor in the nasopharynx. The patients treated with neoadjuvan combination chemotherapy cisplatin-paclitaxel while waiting a radiotherapy. This combination can produce a very high reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Our body has a protective mechanism against oxidant through superoxide dismutase (SOD) that can inhibit DNA chain damage from ROS induction produced by chemotherapy in NPC patients. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between SOD level alteration with neck metastatic tumor response after cisplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy. This was a cohort study. Thirty samples examined for neck metastasis tumor volume (VTM) and serum SOD were examined with ELISA pre- and postchemotherapy. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Mean SOD serum level pre-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy were was 179.5 and 209.1, respectively. Mean tumor metastaic volume pre and post chemotherapy were 127.3 and 62.7, respectively. The correlation test with the result (r) 0.180 and p = 0.340. There was no correlation between SOD serum level alteration with VTM volume post cisplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy in NPC patients.