Abstract IA27: Current perspectives on the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)

70% of NPC patients present with UICC stages III and IV locoregionally advanced (LA) disease. A recently completed population screening study using plasma EBV DNA may change this picture. For LA NPC, despite a high locoregional control rate after concurrent cisplatin-IMRT, the rate of distant metastases remains around 30%. Recent phase III studies adding induction chemotherapy have reported conflicting results, while studies adding adjuvant chemotherapy in unselected population have been negative. HKNPC 0502 and NRG HN001 are studies attempting to risk-stratify adjuvant therapy using post-RT plasma EBV DNA levels. With the publication of exome and whole genome sequencing of NPC, precision targeted therapies and immunotherapies are being investigated. Early results using immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with recurrent and metastatic disease are encouraging. Citation Format: Anthony T. C. Chan. Current perspectives on the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; April 23-25, 2017; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(23_Suppl):Abstract nr IA27.