title: State-of-the-art and emerging treatment options in the management of head and neck cancer: news from 2013.
abstract: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Its treatment is complex and evolving. In general, early-stage disease may be managed with single-modality treatment while an advanced stage (about 60% of clinical presentation) needs a multidisciplinary approach. In this setting concurrent chemoradiation has been associated with improvement in locoregional control and organ preservation, but at the cost of significant acute and chronic toxicity. Molecular target therapies specially directed to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) might improve the outcomes and reduce toxicities. In recurrent-metastatic (R/M) HNSCC, cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody against EGFR, plus platinum-based chemotherapy (CT) allow an overall survival (OS) of about 10 months. However, the prognosis for R/M-HNSCC remains dismal and additional efforts are needed. At the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting, data on induction CT, anti-EGFR inhibitors, innovative molecular targets and predictor factors were reported. Further results on target therapies were presented at the European Cancer Congress (ECC) 2013, where a large study also showed that hyperfractionated radiotherapy (RT) improve OS rates compared with standard RT. The aim of this review is to discuss current standards and emerging therapies by considering recent new updates. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Santa Croce e Carle General Hospital, Cuneo, Italy.
authors.forename: Nerina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Denaro
authors.forename: Elvio Grazioso
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Russi
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adamo
authors.forename: Marco Carlo
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Merlano
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors