title: [Effectivity of cetuximab monotherapy in the treatment of refractory advanced cancer of the head and neck].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  More than 90% of carcinoma of the head and neck (CHN) have an overexpression of the EGFR gene, and that overexpression is associated with a worse prognosis. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody against EGFR.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have conducted a retrospective study of 10 consecutive cases with metastatic and/or recurrent CHN treated with cetuximab monotherapy as second line therapy, with the main objective of analyzing the progression-free survival (PFS); we also analyzed the response rate, the overall survival (OS), and toxicity profile as second end points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 55 years, and 100% of patients were males. Fourty percent of the patients received cetuximab as second line, and 60% as third line therapy. With a median follow-up of 13.5 months, the median PFS was 4 months (95%CI: 3.4-4.6 months), with a median OS of 9.7 months (95%CI: 2.9-16.6 months).The objective response rate was 10%, and the disease control rate was 60% (Partial response = 10% and stable disease for > 16 weeks = 50%). Thirty percent of patients had grade 3 rash.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cetuximab monotherapy has a modest effectivity in the treatment of refractory CHN, but with a limited toxicity. Future studies should use combinations of cetuximab with others effective chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of CHN, such as taxanes.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Escobar Alvarez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Khosravi Shahi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Encinas García
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izarzugaza Perón
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068818:Cetuximab