Docetaxel plus cetuximab biweekly is an active regimen for the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck cancer

Abstract

For patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCHN) limited therapeutic options exist. Only a subset of patients is suitable for combination chemotherapy regimens. Biweekly docetaxel plus cetuximab might be an alternative option. Thus, we performed this retrospective analysis in unselected patients in order to investigate the efficacy and safety of this regimen. Thirty-one patients receiving off protocol docetaxel (50 mg/m2) plus cetuximab (500 mg/m2) biweekly were included. Data collection included baseline demographic, response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) as well as toxicity. OS and PFS were 8.3 months (95% CI 4.8–11.8) and 4.0 months (95% CI 1.0–7.0), respectively. Three (9.7%) patients achieved a complete response and one patient (3.2%) a partial response. The DCR was 41.9% and we observed an ORR of 12.9%. The one-year survival rate was 25.8%. The therapy was well tolerated and the most common grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (19.4%), hypomagnesaemia (12.9%) and acne-like rash (9.7%). Biweekly cetuximab/docetaxel is an effective regimen and well tolerated in R/M SCCHN patients not suitable for platinum doublet treatment. Further evaluation of this regimen in prospective clinical trials is warranted.

Maintenance Therapy with Biweekly Cetuximab: Optimizing Schedule Can Preserve Activity and Improves Compliance in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

“…Acneiform rash was the most common toxicity of any grade (66%), and rash was also the most common grade 3 toxicity (11%). These findings are similar to the skin toxicity experiences reported in prior studies of standard weekly or 500 mg/m 2 q2w dosing of cetuximab [18,23,24].…”

“…Biweekly cetuximab was used with docetaxel in 31 r/m SCCHN patients unfit for cisplatin doublet. Although the effect of this schedule of cetuximab is partially masked by the unconventional use of docetaxel, the treatment was effective and well tolerated [23]. This study promotes the idea that the biweekly schedule improves compliance and patients' quality of life [23].…”

“…Although the effect of this schedule of cetuximab is partially masked by the unconventional use of docetaxel, the treatment was effective and well tolerated [23]. This study promotes the idea that the biweekly schedule improves compliance and patients' quality of life [23]. Very recently, other data have enforced the idea that biweekly cetuximab also in association with other chemotherapeutics has comparable toxicity and efficacy [24].…”

Docetaxel promotes cell apoptosis and decreases SOX2 expression in CD133‑expressing hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

“…Docetaxel belonging to the taxane family is a promising anticancer agent which is a semi-synthetic derivative from the needles of European yew (Taxus baccata) (16). Docetaxel has been widely used to treat breast (17), prostate (18), bladder (19), gastric (20), ovarian (21), head and neck (22) and non-small cell lung (23) cancers. Furthermore, the role of docetaxel in HCC treatment has been recognized due to its low toxicity and high therapeutic efficacy.…”

Efficacy and Tolerance of Cetuximab Alone or Combined with Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Open Study of 14 Patients

“…Taken altogether, these data suggest that locally advanced or metastatic cSCC can indeed be amenable to therapies targeting the EGFR, either alone or combined with conventional chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy whenever it is possible in these fragile patients, an option that is likely to be extended to penile SCC where cetuximab seems equally efficient in patients with locally advanced or metastatic diseases [32]. The optimal combination is still to be determined, considering that other molecules than platinum salts and 5-fluorouracil have been proposed including capecitabine [33] and docetaxel [34,35]. …”