Expression of BRCA1 and ERCC1 as predictive clinical outcome after radiochemotherapy in patients with locoregionally moderate-advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

In this study, we examined ERCC1 and BRCA1 expression and clinical outcome of 201 phase-III-IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who were treated with cisplatin-based induced chemotherapy and concurrent radiochemotherapy. The chemotherapy response rate of BRCA1(–) and BRCA1(+) patients was 73.6% and 55.8%, respectively. In addition, the chemotherapy response rate of ERCC1(–) and ERCC1(+) patients was 76.9% and 56.6%, respectively. In patients’ tissues, ERCC1 expression associated with BRCA1 expression. The chemotherapy response rate of BRCA1(–) and ERCC1(–) patients was (82.1%) and higher than that of other groups (range 52.4-73.1%). The radiochemotherapy response rate of BRCA1(–) and ERCC1(–) patients was higher than that BRCA1(+) and ERCC1(+) patients. BRCA1(–) and ERCC1(–) patients showed higher 3-year overall survival, failure-free survival, locoregional failure-free survival and distant failure-free survival compared to BRCA1(+) or ERCC1(+) patients. Moreover, the 3-year overall survival, failure-free survival and distant failure-free survival of the BRCA1(–) and ERCC1(–) group were higher than that of other groups. TNM stage, ERCC1 expression and the correlation between BRCA1 and ERCC1 expression seemed significant overall survival factors. In conclusion, in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, ERCC1 and BRCA1 may be a predictor of response to platinum-based chemotherapy and concurrent radiochemotherapy.