Significant efficacies of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma by meta-analysis of published literature-based randomized, controlled trials

Abstract

Background: We carried out this meta-analysis to demonstrate efficacies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients based on randomized, controlled trials (RCTs).

Patients and methods: We comprehensively searched electronic databases and manuscripts for RCTs and extracted data from eligible studies for meta-analysis. Overall survival (OS) with hazard ratios (HRs), locoregional recurrence rate (LRR) and distant metastasis rate (DMR) with relative risks (RRs) were concerned using random and/or fixed-effects models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also carried out.

Results: Six trials in NACT group (n = 1418) and five in AC group (n = 1187) were eligible. HR of death for NACT was 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69-0.98, P = 0.03], corresponding to an absolute survival gain of 5.13% after 3 years. Significant reduction of DMR (P = 0.0002; RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.56-0.84) was also found from NACT. But no decrease in LRR (P = 0.49; RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.66-1.22) was observed. Patients receiving additional AC had lower LRR (P = 0.03; RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.96). But no benefit of OS and DMR were seen in AC.

Conclusions: NACT can effectively enhance OS and reduce DMR, not LRR in NPC. And AC only helps to better control locoregional recurrence of NPC.

Keywords: adjuvant chemotherapy; meta-analysis; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; neoadjuvant chemotherapy; radiotherapy.