Failure of Second-Line Therapy to Modify Survival in Relapsed Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Abstract

Between August 1979 and August 1984, 47 consecutive patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck entered one of three consecutive second-line treatments. Response rates with each treatment were very different (70% vs 5.9% vs 75%), but there was no statistical difference in actuarial survival (survival: 30% vs 29% vs 20%, respectively, at 260 days). In light of this observation, the efficacy of the second-line therapy appears doubtful and the survival of relapsing patients seems unrelated to the response achieved.

Overview of the efficacy of cetuximab in recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in patients who previously failed platinum‐based therapies

“…37,38 Patients who have progressed on cisplatin-containing therapy not only have exhausted the most active, current, first-line treatment, they also often are a, or near their limit of chemotherapy tolerability. Consequently, no regimen has been approved to date for use in patients with recurrent and/ or metastatic SCCHN who fail on platinum-based therapy.…”