Twenty-four patients with recurrent and/or locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma who received cis-platinum-based chemotherapy are reported. Twelve patients with recurrent disease previously treated with radiotherapy received cis-platinum-based chemotherapy. An overall response rate of 67% (8/12) and a complete response (CR) of 25% (3/12) were achieved. All the CR patients were treated with cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) infusion. Twelve patients with locally advanced (stage IV) previously untreated nasopharyngeal carcinoma received cis-platinum-based chemotherapy. Eight of those patients received cis-platinum and 5-FU combination chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy. An overall response of 75% (6/8) and a complete response of 50% (4/8) were achieved by induction chemotherapy. Subsequent radiation therapy to the 6 responding patients (CR 4, PR 2) to chemotherapy increased the complete response to 100% (6/6). The other two stable patients refused further therapy and died in less than 1 year from locoregional disease. Four patients were treated with concurrent cis-platinum and radiation therapy. A complete response of 100% (4/4) was achieved.