title: Zalutumumab   in head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over 90% of head and neck cancers overexpress EGFR. This correlates with advanced disease stage and worse prognosis. Strategies to inhibit the EGFR pathway have been developed over the last decade. Zalutumumab is a recent high-affinity completely human IgG1k antibody targeting EGFR.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mechanism of action and data on efficacy and safety of zalutumumab in head and neck cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zalutumumab has demonstrated acceptable toxicity in head and neck cancer patients, with rash being the most common adverse event. The toxicity profile makes zalutumumab an attractive option for patients who are heavily pretreated and/or have poor performance status due to concurrent co-morbidities. As the molecule is fully human, the likelihood of hypersensitivity to the drug is low. Zalutumumab may be effective at low concentrations through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Current data from Phase I and II trials identify zalutumumab as a promising drug for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer and recent data from a Phase III randomized trial showed encouraging survival results compared with best supportive care. Results from other ongoing Phase III trials will provide clarification on zalutumumab as a treatment option. The clinical development of this compound has been suspended from June 2011 until a development and commercialization partner is found.
authors.affiliation: Royal Marsden Hospital, Clinical Oncology, Head and Neck Unit, Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JJ , UK.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: Dorothy M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gujral
authors.forename: Tom M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nutting
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C546618:zalutumumab; D066246:ErbB Receptors