Nimotuzumab combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy benefits patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Background The potential benefits and possible risks associated with combined nimotuzumab and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) have yet to be determined. Methods The databases PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang were systematically searched through February 2017 for studies comparing combined nimotuzumab and chemoradiotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy alone in the treatment of NPC. Primary outcomes were complete and partial responses, and the secondary outcome was adverse reactions. The random-effect model was used to pool relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Nine randomized control trials and six cohort studies were included in the final analysis (n=1,015 patients). Compared with chemoradiotherapy alone, chemoradiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab was associated with an increased response rate (RR =1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.22). Combined treatment further reduced the occurrence rate of erythropenia (RR =0.11, 95% CI: 0.05-0.28) and neutropenia (RR =0.12, 95% CI: 0.05-0.27). The differences in the rates of other complications were not significant. Conclusion Nimotuzumab combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy is more effective in patients with advanced NPC than chemoradiotherapy alone. Patients receiving combination therapy did not have a higher rate of adverse reactions. Nimotuzumab can thus be recommended as an adjunct therapy in patients with advanced NPC.