Carboplatin plus taxol is an effective third-line regimen in recurrent undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma

• Published in: Tumori 2002-07, Vol.88 (4), p.273-276
• Main Authors: Airoldi, Mario, Pedani, Fulvia, Marchionatti, Sara, Gabriele, Anna Maria, Succo, Giovanni, Gabriele, Pietro, Bumma, Cesare
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Carboplatin - administration & dosage; Carboplatin - adverse effects; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms - mortality; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - drug therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - mortality; Paclitaxel - administration & dosage; Paclitaxel - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0300-8916; 2038-2529
• DOI: 10.1177/030089160208800405

Recurrent undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a chemosensitive disease. Few third-line treatments have been reported. Twelve patients (9 males, 3 females; median age 50 years, range, 20-62) with recurrent undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with carboplatin AUC 5.5 + paclitaxel (175 mg/m2, 3-hr infusion) on day 1 every 3 weeks. All patients had been previously treated for recurrent disease with a first-line cisplatin-based chemotherapy and a second-line therapy with low-dose continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil. Overall, 54 courses were given (median, 5; range, 2-6). Three patients (25%) obtained a partial response lasting 6, 10 and 26+ months, 1 (8.3%) a minimal response lasting 6 months, and 3 (25%) no change with a median duration of 5 months. The median survival time was 14 months for patients who had a partial or minimal response or no change, and 5 months for nonresponders. Median overall survival was 9.5 months (3-30+). The treatment was well tolerated, and toxicity was manageable. The combination has a good palliative role as third-line chemotherapy in recurrent undifferentiated nasopharyngeal cancer.