INTRODUCTION: The addition of cetuximab to weekly paclitaxel has demonstrated high efficacy in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M-SCCHN). However, this combination has been widely extended to patients who present resistance to first line chemotherapy (CT) or those who are not candidates for platinum-based CT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety of cetuximab in combination with weekly paclitaxel in patients with R/M-SCCHN who present disease progression after platinum schedules or those who were not candidates for platinum-based CT. Patients received weekly paclitaxel 80mg/m(2) and cetuximab 250mg/m(2) (initial dose of 400mg/m(2)) until progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were included. Median age was 58 (43-68), ECOG PS (0/1/2): 6/10/4, 19 patients had received prior platinum-based treatment (nine patients were platinum-sensitive and nine were platinum-refractory). With a median follow-up of 6.18months (range 1.3-29.7), overall response rate (ORR) was 55% (95% CI 31-76%):1 (5%) complete response and 9 (50%) partial responses. Median duration of response was 10.23months. Median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5.4 and 9.1months, respectively. There were no differences in response rate according to platinum sensitivity (66% sensitive vs 44% refractory; P=0.61). The main toxicity consisted of rash in 70% of patients (5% grade 3), with an association between rash severity and ORR (grade 0-1: 33% vs grade 2-3: 64%; P=0.03) and a trend for better PFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Weekly paclitaxel in combination with cetuximab is a well tolerated and highly active second-line treatment in patients with R/MSCCHN who experience disease progression after platinum-based CT, including those who present resistant disease. Our results suggest that the efficacy of this combination is apparently superior than the published data on single agent cetuximab in this setting.
INTRODUCTION: The addition of cetuximab to weekly paclitaxel has demonstrated high efficacy in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M-SCCHN). However, this combination has been widely extended to patients who present resistance to first line chemotherapy (CT) or those who are not candidates for platinum-based CT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety of cetuximab in combination with weekly paclitaxel in patients with R/M-SCCHN who present disease progression after platinum schedules or those who were not candidates for platinum-based CT. Patients received weekly paclitaxel 80mg/m(2) and cetuximab 250mg/m(2) (initial dose of 400mg/m(2)) until progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were included. Median age was 58 (43-68), ECOG PS (0/1/2): 6/10/4, 19 patients had received prior platinum-based treatment (nine patients were platinum-sensitive and nine were platinum-refractory). With a median follow-up of 6.18months (range 1.3-29.7), overall response rate (ORR) was 55% (95% CI 31-76%):1 (5%) complete response and 9 (50%) partial responses. Median duration of response was 10.23months. Median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5.4 and 9.1months, respectively. There were no differences in response rate according to platinum sensitivity (66% sensitive vs 44% refractory; P=0.61). The main toxicity consisted of rash in 70% of patients (5% grade 3), with an association between rash severity and ORR (grade 0-1: 33% vs grade 2-3: 64%; P=0.03) and a trend for better PFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Weekly paclitaxel in combination with cetuximab is a well tolerated and highly active second-line treatment in patients with R/MSCCHN who experience disease progression after platinum-based CT, including those who present resistant disease. Our results suggest that the efficacy of this combination is apparently superior than the published data on single agent cetuximab in this setting.
Authors: Vasavi Paidpally; Alin Chirindel; Christine H Chung; Jeremy Richmon; Wayne Koch; Harry Quon; Rathan M Subramaniam Journal: AJR Am J Roentgenol Date: 2014-08 Impact factor: 3.959
Authors: Thomas Chevalier; Amaury Daste; Esmaa Saada-Bouzid; Anderson Loundou; Florent Peyraud; Tiphaine Lambert; Christophe Le Tourneau; Frédéric Peyrade; Charlotte Dupuis; Marc Alfonsi; Jérôme Fayette; Juliette Reure; Florence Huguet; Nicolas Fakhry; Clémence Toullec; Sébastien Salas Journal: Cancer Med Date: 2021-05-25 Impact factor: 4.452
Authors: I Pajares Bernad; J Martínez Trufero; L Calera Urquizu; R A Pazo Cid; A Cebollero de Miguel; M J Agustin; M Lanzuela; A Antón Journal: Clin Transl Oncol Date: 2017-01-24 Impact factor: 3.340
Authors: M G Fury; E J Sherman; S S Rao; S Wolden; S Smith-Marrone; B Mueller; K K Ng; P R Dutta; D Y Gelblum; J L Lee; R Shen; S Kurz; N Katabi; S Haque; N Y Lee; D G Pfister Journal: Ann Oncol Date: 2014-02-03 Impact factor: 32.976