title: Head and neck cancer: metronomic chemotherapy.
abstract: In the era of personalized medicine, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a critical oncologic topic. Conventional chemotherapy regimens consist of drugs administration in cycles near or at the maximum tolerated dose (MDT), followed by a long drug-free period to permit the patient to recover from acute toxicities. Despite this strategy is successful in controlling the cancer process at the beginning, a significant number of HNSCC patients tend to recurred or progress, especially those patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease. The repertoire of drugs directed against tumor cells has greatly increased and metronomic chemotherapy (MC) could be an effective treatment option.It is the purpose of this article to review the concept of MC and describe its potential use in HNSCC. We provide an update of ongoing progress and current challenges related to this issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 326, 00161, Rome, Italy. fradefelice@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Felice
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 326, 00161, Rome, Italy. daniela.musio@libero.it.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Musio
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 326, 00161, Rome, Italy. vincenzo.tombolini@uniroma1.it.|Spencer-Lorillard Foundation, Viale Regina Elena 262, Rome, Italy. vincenzo.tombolini@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tombolini
mesh_terms: D059250:Administration, Metronomic; D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D016896:Treatment Outcome