Capecitabine combined with immunotherapy as maintenance therapy improves survival in recurrent/metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We evaluated the clinical impact of combining capecitabine with immunotherapy (Immu/Cape) compared to immunotherapy monotherapy (Immu) as maintenance in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients following initial chemo-immunotherapy.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 257 R/M NPC patients who achieved disease control after chemo-immunotherapy and received either Immu/Cape or Immu maintenance. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance baseline characteristics. Endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

Following PSM, the Immu/Cape group exhibited prolonged PFS (median, 27.87 vs 8.5 months, p = 0.016) and OS (3-year rate, 80.8% vs. 65.4%; p = 0.027). This survival benefit was

SUBMITTER: He SQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12859054 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature