Table 1.
Summary of included studies.
| Studies | No. of patients | Stage | Inclusion period | Median follow up (m) | Radiotherapy | Induction chemotherapy | Concurrent chemotherapy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cvitkovic et al. (3) | 339 | UICC any T, N2-3 | 1989–1993 | 49 | 2DRT:2.0Gy/f to 65–70Gy | 3* BLM15mg bolus (d1)+12mg/m2/d(d1-5) +epirubicin70mg/m2(d1) +DDP 100mg/m2 (d1) | None |
| Chua et al. (21) | 334 | Ho’s stage III/IV and N≥3cm | 1989–1993 | 30 | 2DRT:60–66Gy and additional boost for residual LNs, hypofractionated RT for most | 2-3*epirubicin110mg/m2 +DDP60mg/m2 | None |
| Ma et al. (22) | 456 | Chinese 1992 III–IV | 1993–1994 | 62 | 2DRT:2.0Gy/f, to 68–72Gy and additional boost to 80Gy if residual | 2-3* DDP100mg/m2(d1) +FU 800 mg/m2/d(d1-5) +BLM 10mg/m2/d(d1, d5) | None |
| Hareyama et al. (23) | 80 | All stages M0 | 1991–1998 | 49 | 2DRT:2.0–2.2Gy/f to 66–68Gy | 2*DDP80mg/m2(d1) +FU800mg/m2(d1-4) | None |
| Hui et al. (4) | 65 | UICC1997 III–IVB | 2002–2004 | 51.6 | 2DRT/3DCRT/IMRT:2Gy/f to 66Gy; residual boost of 7.5Gy, parapharyngeal boost of 20Gy | 2*docetaxel75mg/m2
+DDP75mg/m2, q3w |
8*DDP40 mg/m2 weekly |
| Fountzilas et al. (5) | 144 | UICC2002 IIB–IVB | 2003–2008 | 55 | 2DRT/3DCRT:2.0Gy/f/to 66–70 Gy | 3*epirubicin75mg/m2(d1) +paclitaxel175mg/m2(d1) +DDP75 mg/m2(d2), q3w | DDP 40 mg/m2 weekly |
| Tan et al. (6) | 172 | UICC1997 III–IVB |
2004–2012 | 40.8 | 2DRT:70Gy/35f; IMRT:69.96Gy/33f | 3*paclitaxel70mg/m2 +carboplatin (AUC=2.5) +gemcitabine1000mg/m2, q3w | DDP 40 mg/m2 weekly |
| Sun et al. (7) Li et al. (12) | 480 | 7th UICC III–IVB (except T3-4N0) |
2011–2013 | 71.5 | IMRT:2–2.35Gy/f to ≥66Gy | 3*docetaxel60mg/m2(d1)+DDP60mg/m2(d1)+ 5FU600mg/m2(d1-5), q3w |
DDP 100 mg/m2 q3w |
| Cao et al. (8) Yang et al. (13) | 476 | 6th UICC III–IVB (except T3N0-1) |
2008–2015 | 82.6 | 2DRT/IMRT: 2–2.33Gy/f to 64–72Gy | 2*DDP80mg/m2(d1) +FU800mg/m2/d(d1-5), q3w |
DDP 80 mg/m2 q3w |
| Frikha et al. (24) | 81 | UICC2002 T2b-4 and/or N1-3 |
2009–2015 | 43.1 | IMRT/non-IMRT 70Gy/35f | 3*Docetaxel75mg/m2(d1)+ DDP75mg/m2(d1)+ 5FU750mg/m2(d1-5), q3w |
DDP 40 mg/m2 weekly |
| Hong et al. (10) | 479 | 5th UICC IVa–IVB |
2003–2009 | 72.0 | 1.8-2.2Gy/f, 5f/week, ≥70 Gy to the primary tumor, 66–70Gy to the involved neck | 3*mitomycin8mg/m2, epirubicin60mg/m2+DDP60mg/m2,D1, 5-FU450mg/m2+ leucovorin30mg/m2,D8, q3w |
DDP30mg/m2 weekly |
| Zhang et al. (11) | 480 | 7th UICC III–IVb, except N0 | 2013–2016 | 42.7 | IMRT 66–70Gy/30–33f | 3*(gemcitabine 1g/m2,d1,d8+ DDP80mg/m2,d1),q3w |
DDP100 mg/m2 q3w |
UICC, International Union Against Cancer; BLM, bleomycin; f, fraction; LN, lymph node; civ, continuous intravenous; DDP, cisplatin; FU, fluorouracil; 2DRT, two-dimensional radiotherapy; 3DCRT, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy; IMRT, intensity-modulated radiotherapy.