title: Efficacy of neoadjuvant cetuximab alone or with platinum salt for the treatment of unresectable advanced nonmetastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Refractory locally advanced or metastatic nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is a frequent therapeutic impasse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To address the question of the efficacy of induction therapy with cetuximab as neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced NMSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2008 to 2013, all patients with a diagnosis of unresectable locally advanced skin squamous cell carcinoma were treated with neoadjuvant cetuximab alone (CM) or combined with a platinum salt and 5-fluorouracil (CC). Resectability, and clinical and pathological response, as well as relapse-free and overall survival were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-four patients, with a median age of 74·5 years, were evaluated. Twenty-five patients received CC. After three cycles of CC, 23 of 25 patients whose tumours were initially unresectable became amenable to surgery (92%). A complete histological response was observed in 15 (65%) patients. The mean progression-free and mean overall survival in operated patients were 8·5 and 26·0 months, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a good response in terms of resectability and tumour control in the majority of patients, with few relapses, despite the initially poor prognosis of these tumours in this elderly group of patients. However, this therapeutic strategy needs to be validated in a prospective, randomized study.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reigneau
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Routier
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mamelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moya-Plana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomasic
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Gustave Roussy, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94800, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mateus
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068818:Cetuximab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000068818:Cetuximab; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil