Single-center phase 2 trial of capecitabine maintenance therapy for residual disease after definitive treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

A phase 2 trial at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China) evaluated one year of capecitabine maintenance therapy for patients with residual disease after defnitive treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Progression-free survival rate was 92% at one year, 86% at two years, and 81% at three years. Grade 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 28.7% of patients; there were no grade 4 or 5 TRAEs. 76.6% of patients completed one year of capecitabine maintenance therapy, ane 72.1% of patients received the full dosage of capecitabine. The author conclude that the antitumor efficacy of capecitabine maintenance was promising with a manageable safety profile among patients with residual nasopharyngeal carcinoma after standard-of-care definitive treatment.