Chemotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A ten-year experience.

Seventeen patients, 14 after radiation therapy relapse, with measurable nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with chemotherapy. Remissions were observed in 9 of 17 (53%) with 3 complete (CR) and 6 partial responses (PR). Five (2 CR + 3 PR) of seven patients with lymphoepithelioma achieved remission, 4 (1 CR + 3 PR) of 8 with keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma, and 2 progressions with transitional cell carcinoma. Complete remissions were only achieved with CDDP-based combinations, with 2 of the 3 CR rendered histologically free of disease at the time of repeat biopsy of the tumor bed. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is responsive to chemotherapy, even after radiation therapy relapse. The most effective chemotherapy combinations contain CDDP. Histologic differentiation did not appear to influence the frequency of remissions.