title: Unilateral Cervical Polyneuropathies following Concurrent Bortezomib, Cetuximab, and Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer.
abstract: We report a constellation of cervical polyneuropathies in a patient treated with concurrent bortezomib, cetuximab, and cisplatin alongside intensity modulated radiotherapy for carcinoma of the tonsil with neck metastasis. The described deficits include brachial plexopathy, cervical sensory neuropathy, and oculosympathetic, recurrent laryngeal, and phrenic nerve palsies within the ipsilateral radiation field. Radiation neuropathy involving the brachial plexus is typically associated with treatment of breast or lung cancer; however, increased awareness of this entity in the context of investigational agents with potential neuropathic effects in head and neck cancer has recently emerged. With this report, we highlight radiation neuropathy in the setting of investigational therapy for head and neck cancer, particularly since these sequelae may present years after therapy and entail significant and often irreversible morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University School of Medicine, 1120 W. Michigan Street, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
authors.forename: Alhasan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elghouche
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 100 Campus Drive, Suite 400, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shokri
authors.affiliation: King's College London School of Medicine, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
authors.forename: Yewen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Susannah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wargo
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Citrin
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Carter
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Waes