Diagnosed as locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stage III-IV), and pathologically confirmed as a differentiated or undifferentiated non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma, the patient is eligible to participate in the study. Patients receive gemcitabine (1000mg/m² d1,8) and cisplatin (80mg/m², d1) every 3 weeks for 2 cycles before radiotherapy. And then intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is given a total dose of GTVnx 70Gy, GTVnd 66Gy, CTV1 60Gy and CTV2 54Gy for 33 times in total, concurrently with gemcitabine. The initial dose of gemcitabine is 25mg/m² once a week for 6 times. The patients are divided into 9 groups (25mg/m², 50mg/m², 100mg/m², 200mg/m², 300mg/m², 350mg/m², 400mg/m², 450mg/m², 500mg/m²) with 6 patients in each group. Considering about 20% of the cases of dropout, withdrawal, and loss to follow-up in clinical trials, a total of 65 cases are needed in this study. The efficacy is evaluated according to the European Solid Tumor Efficacy Evaluation Standard (RECIST1.1). After induction chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and 3 months after radiotherapy, nasopharyngeal endoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging of the would be reviewed for 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years to evaluate the curative effect. The chest CT, abdominal B-ultrasound, bone scan or PETCT examinations are reviewed to exclud distant metastases. Biopsy diagnosis can be performed for patients suspected of local residual and recurrence.
Researchers conduct the clinical trial (gemcitabine combined with cisplatin induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with gemcitabine for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma) to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of gemcitabine in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.