Phase III Randomized Trial of Cisplatin Plus Placebo Compared With Cisplatin Plus Cetuximab in Metastatic/Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (34) ◽  
pp. 8646-8654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Burtness ◽  
Meredith A. Goldwasser ◽  
William Flood ◽  
Bassam Mattar ◽  
Arlene A. Forastiere

Purpose Therapy of recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck results in median progression-free survival (PFS) of 2 months. These cancers are rich in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We wished to determine whether the addition of cetuximab, which inhibits activation of EGFR, would improve PFS. Patients and Methods Patients with recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were randomly assigned to receive cisplatin every 4 weeks, with weekly cetuximab (arm A) or placebo (arm B). Tumor tissue was assayed for EGFR expression by immunohistochemistry. The primary end point was PFS. Secondary end points of interest were response rate, toxicity, overall survival, and correlation of EGFR with clinical end points. Results There were 117 analyzable patients enrolled. Median PFS was 2.7 months for arm B and 4.2 months for arm A. The hazard ratio for progression of arm A to arm B was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.54 to 1.12). Median overall survival was 8.0 months for arm B and 9.2 months for arm A (P = .21). The hazard ratio for survival by skin toxicity in cetuximab-treated patients was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.86). Objective response rate was 26% for arm A and 10% for arm B (P = .03). Enhancement of response was greater for patients with EGFR staining present in less than 80% of cells. Conclusion Addition of cetuximab to cisplatin significantly improves response rate. There was a survival advantage for the development of rash. Progression-free and overall survival were not significantly improved by the addition of cetuximab in this study.

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 1864-1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Simon W. Stewart ◽  
Ezra E.W. Cohen ◽  
Lisa Licitra ◽  
Carla M.L. Van Herpen ◽  
Chonlakiet Khorprasert ◽  
...  

Purpose To compare survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) treated with gefitinib 250 or 500 mg/day or standard methotrexate. Patients and Methods Four hundred eighty-six patients with recurrent SCCHN were randomly assigned to oral gefitinib 250 mg/day, gefitinib 500 mg/day, or methotrexate 40 mg/m2 intravenously weekly. Primary end point was overall survival, secondary end points were objective response rate (ORR), safety, symptom improvement, and quality of life (QOL). Exploratory end points included association of efficacy with epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number and other biomarkers. Results Neither gefitinib 250 nor 500 mg/day improved overall survival compared with methotrexate (hazard ratio [HR], 1.22; 95% CI, 0.95 to 1.57; P = .12; and HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.87 to 1.43; P = .39, respectively). In the gefitinib 250 mg/day, 500 mg/day, and methotrexate groups, respectively, median overall survival was 5.6, 6.0, and 6.7 months; ORRs (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) were 2.7%, 7.6% and 3.9%, with no statistically significant difference between either gefitinib arm and methotrexate. No unexpected adverse events were observed, except for tumor hemorrhage-type events with gefitinib (8.9%, gefitinib 250 mg/day; 11.4%, gefitinib 500 mg/day; 1.9%, methotrexate). QOL improvement rates (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head & Neck total score) were 13.4%, 18.0%, and 6.0% for gefitinib 250 mg/day, 500 mg/day, and methotrexate, respectively. Conclusion In patients with recurrent or metastatic SCCHN, while responses with gefitinib were seen, neither gefitinib 250 nor 500 mg/day improved overall survival compared with methotrexate. With the exception of tumor hemorrhage–type events with gefitinib, the adverse event profiles were generally consistent with those previously observed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 07 (03) ◽  
pp. 188-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundaram Subramanian ◽  
Nithya Sridharan ◽  
V. Balasundaram ◽  
Sameer Chaudhari

Abstract Context: Role of nimotuzumab in locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC) is well established in India; however, no clinical evidence is available for its role in recurrent and/or metastatic HNC. Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab when added to standard treatment in unresectable, recurrent, and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) Settings and Design: Hospital records of 14 patients diagnosed with recurrent and/or metastatic HNC with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma and being treated with nimotuzumab along with standard treatments from December 2010 to December 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Subjects and Methods: The tumor response rate and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Toxicity and adverse events (AEs) were assessed as per common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) v 4. Results: Oral cavity was most commonly involved region followed by hypopharynx and oropharynx. At 24 weeks after completion of treatment, overall response rate (complete response (CR) + partial response (PR)) was 75%. Survival rate at 1, 2, and 3 years was 77.80%, 64.81%, and 64.81%, respectively. At a median follow-up of 15.17 months, median OS was not reached. All AEs were either Grade I (66.7%) or Grade II (33.3%). No Grade III or Grade IV AEs were observed. No added toxicity was observed due to nimotuzumab. Conclusions: In the first of its kind study, the addition of nimotuzumab to standard treatment showed promising response rate as well as survival outcomes in recurrent and/or metastatic SCCHN patients without producing additional toxicity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (13) ◽  
pp. 1275-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandro Virgilio Porceddu ◽  
Mathias Bressel ◽  
Michael Geoffrey Poulsen ◽  
Adam Stoneley ◽  
Michael John Veness ◽  
...  

Purpose To report the results of the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group randomized phase III trial designed to determine whether the addition of concurrent chemotherapy to postoperative radiotherapy (CRT) improved locoregional control in patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Patients and Methods The primary objective was to determine whether there was a difference in freedom from locoregional relapse (FFLRR) between 60 or 66 Gy (6 to 6.5 weeks) with or without weekly carboplatin (area under the curve 2) after resection of gross disease. Secondary efficacy objectives were to compare disease-free survival and overall survival. Results Three hundred twenty-one patients were randomly assigned, with 310 patients commencing allocated treatment (radiotherapy [RT] alone, n = 157; CRT, n = 153). Two hundred thirty-eight patients (77%) had high-risk nodal disease, 59 (19%) had high-risk primary or in-transit disease, and 13 (4%) had both. Median follow-up was 60 months. Median RT dose was 60 Gy, with 84% of patients randomly assigned to CRT completing six cycles of carboplatin. The 2- and 5-year FFLRR rates were 88% (95% CI, 83% to 93%) and 83% (95% CI, 77% to 90%), respectively, for RT and 89% (95% CI, 84% to 94%) and 87% (95% CI, 81% to 93%; hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.55; P = .58), respectively, for CRT. There were no significant differences in disease-free or overall survival. Locoregional failure was the most common site of first treatment failure, with isolated distant metastases as the first site of failure seen in 7% of both arms. Treatment was well tolerated in both arms, with no observed enhancement of RT toxicity with carboplatin. Grade 3 or 4 late toxicities were infrequent. Conclusion Although surgery and postoperative RT provided excellent FFLRR, there was no observed benefit with the addition of weekly carboplatin.


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