Survival after induction chemotherapy in locoregional advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis

BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy (ICT) augmentation is a common strategy for standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The survival condition is a crucial issue for patients with locoregionally advanced NPC. The survival of ICT patients with CCRT treatment versus standard CCRT alone should be elucidated via a systemic review and meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials. METHODS: We compared ICT with CCRT and CCRT alone treatment to determine if ICT with CCRT can be associated with a significant benefit of survival conditions versus CCRT. Different survival indicators were analyzed for the ICT with CCRT. Twelve studies with a total of 3711 patients with locoregionally advanced NPC were enrolled. The focused outcome was the overall survival, progression‐free survival, distant metastasis‐free survival, and locoregional recurrence‐free survival. RESULTS: Our results showed that ICT with CCRT is associated with a significant benefit for the overall survival status versus CCRT treatment. Similar significant benefits in the survival condition were seen in progression‐free survival, distant metastasis‐free survival, and locoregional recurrence‐free survival. CONCLUSIONS: The updated meta‐analysis results suggest that the ICT with CCRT might be associated with significant benefits of survival in overall, progression‐free, distant metastasis‐free, as well as locoregional recurrence‐free dimensions versus CCRT treatment. However, the bias of different kinds, doses, and regimens of chemotherapy agents and radiotherapy should not be ignored.