title: Cilengitide (EMD 121974) arrests the growth of a heavily pretreated highly vascularised head and neck tumour.
abstract: The suppression and eradication of malignant tumours by targeting the endothelial cells of the tumour is one of the rapidly evolving new approaches to cancer therapy. Head and neck tumours, because of their high levels of vascularization, present themselves as ideal candidates for such antiangiogenic strategies. We report a heavily pretreated patient with a tumour 15 cm in diameter representing fourth relapse of squamous cell carcinoma, which had its origin in the upper left jaw. The patient was treated with the antiangiogenetic, cyclic peptide, EMD 121974 [cilengitide] (600 mg/m2 over 60 minutes i.v.) on day 1 and 4 in combination with gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 over 30 minutes) administered days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for five months, and a partial remission was achieved. This resulted in a clinical improvement in the ability of the patient to eat and smell. The patient remained stable for 12 months on cilengitide mainenance therapy, with no tendency towards spontaneous bleeding. This clinical case demonstrates the clinical efficacy of the antiangiogenetic agent cilengitide, in combination with gemcitabine, in inhibiting rapid growth of highly vascularized tumour and highlights the potential of this new therapeutic agent
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie, klinische Navigation und Robotik Plastische Operationen, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburgerplatz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. jan-dirk.raguse@charite.de
authors.forename: Jan-Dirk
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Raguse
authors.forename: Hans Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gath
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bier
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riess
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oettle
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D012910:Snake Venoms; D003841:Deoxycytidine; C422910:Cilengitide; D000093542:Gemcitabine