Background: We retrospectively compared the long-term efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) regimens (docetaxel vs. cisplatin), total dose intensity of cisplatin (> 200 vs. ≤ 200 mg/m²) and pretreatment plasma levels of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and investigated the prognostic factors. Methods: We enrolled 214 patients diagnosed with NPC and treated with CCRT. 41 patients received weekly docetaxel and 173 weekly cisplatin. 62 received cumulative cisplatin of ≤ 200 mg/m² and 111, > 200 mg/m². Pretreatment levels of EBV DNA were available for 155 patients. Results: Patients receiving concurrent weekly docetaxel and cisplatin had similar 5-year rates for overall survival (OS) (p = 0.306), progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.133), distant failure-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.110), and locoregional failure-free survival (LFS) (p = 0.452). Cumulative cisplatin of > 200 mg/m² improved the 5-year rates of PFS (p = 0.018) and DFS (p = 0.042) significantly in comparison with cumulative cisplatin of ≤ 200 mg/m². EBV DNA levels of ≥ 1,500 copies/ml was closely associated with poor DFS (p = 0.011), PFS (p = 0.006), and OS (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Weekly cisplatin was well tolerated in CCRT, during which cumulative cisplatin of > 200 mg/m² improved PFS and DFS. The long-term efficacy of concurrent docetaxel was similar to that of concurrent cisplatin. The EBV DNA level was the most significant prognostic factor.

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Masticator space involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma should be graded as medial (stage T2 disease) or lateral (stage T4 disease). This can facilitate staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and may be a suitable prognostic indicator of survival.