title: Toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cetuximab for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor can be found in 80 % of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and is associated with shorter survival. In this work, we evaluated the feasibility of adding cetuximab to concurrent cisplatin and radiotherapy (RT) in locoregionally advanced NPC. Twenty-eight patients with locoregionally advanced NPC who received the combination therapy were retrospectively reviewed and short-term efficacy was evaluated. Grade 3-4 oral mucositis occurred in 20 (71.4 %) patients. Grade 3 radiotherapy-related dermatitis occurred in seven patients (25 %). Three patients (14.3 %) had grade 3 and one patient (3.6 %) had grade 4 cetuximab-related acneiform rashes. These grade 3-4 skin and mucosal toxic effects were manageable and reversible. At a median follow-up of 33.4 months (95 % CI 29.2-38.1 months), the 2-year progression-free survival was 89.3 % (95 % CI 76.4-98.1 %). In conclusion, concurrent administration of cetuximab, cisplatin and RT is a feasible strategy against locoregionally advanced NPC. Preliminary survival data compare favorably with historic data and further follow-up is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Su-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Gui-Rong
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-Huan
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Li-Ru
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hui-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma; D000068818:Cetuximab; D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068818:Cetuximab; D002945:Cisplatin