Abstract: Objective To explore the therapeutic effects of cinobufacin combined with radiotherapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods 68 NPC patients from May 2003 to May 2005 were assigned randomly into the study group and control group.Both groups were treated with the same radiotherapy,but the treatment in study group was combined with cinobufacin. Acute side effects of radiotherapy were assessed according to the RTOG(radiation therapy oncology group) standard,and the curative effects were evaluated at the end of the treatment and at the third month after treatment Results At the end of treatment,the local response rates in the study group and the control group were 85.29%(29/34) and 73.53%(25/34) respectfully, the difference between the two groups was not significant(x~2=0.810,P = 0.368).But the result from further analysis on the patients with the responses more than partial remission showed the complete remission rates of lymph node metastasis in study group and control group were 69.0%and 45.6%respectively at the end of treatment(P =0.0627),and 52.0%and 82.8%respectively at the third month after treatment(x~2 =4.549,P = 0.0329).The side effects of acute skin-mucosal that serious more than grade 2 was significantly different(x~2 =6.472,P =0.039) between the study group(10 cases) and control group(21 cases).There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups on skin response,platelet and hemoglobin decreases.Conclusions Cinobufacin can enhance the control rate of lymph node metastasis and reduce the incidence of acute side effects of radiotherapy.Further follow-up study on its long-term effect is necessary.

Key words: Cinobufacin, Nasopharyngeal neoplasm, Radiotherapy