Table 2 Acute and late adverse events in the NACT + RT and CCRT groups
Adverse event | NACT + RT group [cases (%)] | CCRT group [cases (%)] | P value†| ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grade 1–4 | Grade 3–4 | Grade 1–4 | Grade 3–4 | ||
Neoadjuvant phase | |||||
 Neutropenia | 61 (62.2) | 24 (24.5) | NA | NA | NA |
 Leukopenia | 54 (55.1) | 20 (20.4) | NA | NA | NA |
 Thrombocytopenia | 11 (11.2) | 4 (4.1) | NA | NA | NA |
 Nausea/vomiting | 47 (48.0) | 6 (6.1) | NA | NA | NA |
 Hepatotoxicity | 53 (54.1) | 3 (3.1) | NA | NA | NA |
 Nephrotoxicity | 37 (37.8) | 1 (1.0) | NA | NA | NA |
Irradiation phase | |||||
 Mucositis | 98 (100) | 40 (40.8) | 116 (100) | 67 (57.8) | 0.028 |
 Xerostomia | 98 (100) | 24 (24.5) | 116 (100) | 35 (30.2) | 0.439 |
 Skin | 98 (100) | 11 (11.2) | 116 (100) | 19 (16.4) | 0.376 |
 Nausea/vomiting | 41 (41.8) | 7 (7.1) | 68 (58.6) | 10 (8.6) | 0.885 |
 Leukopenia | 43 (43.9) | 15 (15.3) | 71 (61.2) | 35 (30.2) | 0.016 |
 Neutropenia | 36 (36.7) | 11 (11.2) | 75 (64.7) | 30 (25.9) | 0.011 |
 Thrombocytopenia | 15 (15.3) | 3 (3.1) | 24 (20.7) | 7 (6.0) | 0.157 |
 Hepatotoxicity | 28 (28.6) | 1 (1.0) | 40 (34.5) | 2 (1.7) | 0.864 |
 Nephrotoxicity | 22 (22.4) | 0 (0) | 32 (27.6) | 0 (0) | 0.789 |
Post-irradiation phase | |||||
 Xerostomia | 98 (100) | 10 (10.2) | 116 (100) | 25 (21.6) | 0.041 |
 Hearing loss | 34 (34.7) | 6 (6.1) | 69 (59.5) | 20 (17.2) | 0.023 |
 Neuropathy | 24 (24.5) | 2 (2.0) | 37 (31.9) | 1 (0.9) | 0.761 |
 Neck tissue damage | 9 (9.2) | 0 (0) | 15 (12.9) | 0 (0) | 0.867 |
 Dysphagia | 1 (1.0) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.7) | 0 (0) | 0.998 |