International Nasopharynx Cancer Study Group; VUMCA I Trial Preliminary results of a randomized trial comparing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (cisplatin, epirubicin, bleomycin) plus radiotherapy vs. radiotherapy alone in stage IV(> or = N2, M0) undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a positive effect on progression-free survival. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1996 Jun 1;35(3):463-9.
Jiong L, Berrino F, Coebergh JW Variation in survival for adults with nasopharyngeal cancer in Europe, 1978-1989. EUROCARE Working Group. Eur J Cancer. 1998 Dec;34(14 Spec No):2162-6.
Lin JC, Jan JS, Chen KY, Hsu CY, Liang WM, Wang WY Outpatient weekly 24-hour infusional adjuvant chemotherapy of cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin for high-risk nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Head Neck. 2003 Jun;25(6):438-50.
Lin JC, Jan JS, Hsu CY, Jiang RS, Wang WY Outpatient weekly neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: high complete response and low toxicity rates. Br J Cancer. 2003 Jan 27;88(2):187-94. Review.
Lin JC, Jan JS, Hsu CY, Liang WM, Jiang RS, Wang WY Phase III study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone for advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: positive effect on overall and progression-free survival. J Clin Oncol. 2003 Feb 15;21(4):631-7.
Long-term Results of Plasma Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Monitoring In Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma After Curative Treatment
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.