Optimal combination treatment for Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A systematic review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis

Purpose

To identify the optimal therapeutic strategy for Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (LA-NPC).

Methods

Herein, four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were systematically searched for pertinent articles from inception to May 24, 2024. Risk of Bias (ROB) was assessed using Cochrane's risk of bias tool 2.0. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 16.0 and R 4.4.0.

Results

The final analysis included 46 studies involving 15,667 patients. Compared to the Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) + Adjuvant Chemotherapy (AC) combination therapy, the Induction Chemotherapy (IC) + CCRT + Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Antibody (anti-EGFR) combination treatment demonstrated better efficacy in improving Overall Survival (OS) (Hazard Ratio [HR]: 0.52; 95 % Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.33–0.83). The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking (SUCRA) analysis revealed that the IC + CCRT + AC + anti-EGFR combination ranked the highest in terms of OS, with a SUCRA score of 87.49 %. It also ranked the highest in terms of Distant Metastasis-Free Survival (DMFS), with a SUCRA score of 85.90 %. Additionally, the CCRT + anti-EGFR combination therapy ranked the highest in terms of PFS, with a SUCRA score of 77.21 %, while the IC + RT combination had the fewest Adverse Effects (AEs) (3–4 grade), with a SUCRA score of 86.20 %.

Conclusion

The IC + CCRT + AC + anti-EGFR combination therapy significantly improved OS, DMFS, and LRFS, highlighting its great promise in LA-NPC treatment. However, owing to the relatively few studies on immunotherapy and targeted therapy, more well-designed studies will be required to validate this deduction.