title: Concomitant cetuximab and radiation therapy: A possible promising strategy for locally advanced inoperable non-melanoma skin carcinomas.
abstract: Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) include a heterogeneous group of malignancies arising from the epidermis, comprising squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), Merkel cell carcinoma and more rare entities, including malignant pilomatrixoma and sebaceous gland tumours. The treatment of early disease depends primarily on surgery. In addition, certain patients present with extensive local invasion or metastasis, which renders these tumours surgically unresectable. Improving the outcome of radiotherapy through the use of concurrent systemic therapy has been demonstrated in several locally advanced cancer-treatment paradigms. Recently, agents targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have exhibited a consolidated activity in phase II clinical trials and case series reports. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to and completely inhibits the EGFR, which has been revealed to be up-regulated in a variety of SCCs, including NMSCs. The present review aimed to summarize the role of anti-EGFR agents in the predominant types of NMSC, including SCC and BCC, and focuses on the cetuximab-based studies, highlighting the biological rationale of this therapeutic option. In addition, the importance of the association between cetuximab and radiotherapy for locally advanced NMSC is discussed.
authors.affiliation: D.A.I. Diagnostica Morfologica e Funzionale, Radioterapia e Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Ferderico II', I-80138 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Della Vittoria Scarpati
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Oncologia, Ospedale 'San Giuseppe Moscati' di Taranto, I-74100 Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perri
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Oncologia, Ospedale 'San Giuseppe Moscati' di Taranto, I-74100 Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pisconti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Salute Mentale Fisica e Medicina Preventiva, SUN Napoli, I-80138 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: ORL Unit, AORN Cardarelli, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricciardiello
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit, 'San Giovanni di Dio' Hospital, A.S.L. Napoli 2 Nord, I-80027 Frattamaggiore (NA), Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.affiliation: ORL Unit, AORN Cardarelli, I-80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Unit, Medicina Futura, I-80035 Acerra, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carraturo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Salute Mentale Fisica e Medicina Preventiva, SUN Napoli, I-80138 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzone
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit, 'San Giovanni di Dio' Hospital, A.S.L. Napoli 2 Nord, I-80027 Frattamaggiore (NA), Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Addeo
keywords: EGFR; basal cell carcinoma; cetuximab; chemotherapy; non-melanoma skin cancers; radiotherapy; squamous cell carcinoma