Evolutionary role of chemotherapy in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a literature-based network meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The role of chemotherapy has evolved greatly in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We undertook this network meta-analysis to establish the optimal chemotherapy strategy in advanced NPC.

Materials and methods

This network meta-analysis recruited randomized clinical trials involving patients with advanced NPC randomly allocated to induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT; induction + CRT), CRT plus adjuvant chemotherapy (CRT + adjuvant), CRT or radiotherapy (RT) alone. Pairwise meta-analysis was first conducted, then network meta-analysis was performed using the frequentist approach. Effect size was expressed as HR and 95% CI.

Results

In total, we analyzed 15 studies involving 4,067 patients with 880 (21.6%) patients receiving inducti

SUBMITTER: Li L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6324614 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature