Dr. Melotek on Cetuximab Added to Chemotherapy and Chemoradiation in Head and Neck Cancer

James Melotek, MD, Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Medicine, discusses an analysis of a phase II study examining the addition of cetuximab to induction chemotherapy and accelerated or hyperfractionated chemoradiation therapy for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer.

The randomized trial’s two primary endpoints were to compare the efficacy of the addition of cetuximab to both therapies with historical control, and to investigate two chemoradiotherapy platforms, Melotek explains. The two platforms consisted of cetuximab 5-FU, and hydroxyurea with concomitant radiotherapy twice daily versus cetuximab, cisplatin and accelerated radiotherapy with delayed concomitant boost.

Results showed that both subgroups performed far superior beyond historical control with the addition of cetuximab, especially in patients who were HPV-negative. No significant survival outcomes were reported between the two chemotherapy platforms, he says.

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