title: Efficacy and Tolerance of Cetuximab Alone or Combined with Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Open Study of 14 Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous reports highlighted the potential interest of cetuximab alone or in combination with chemotherapy in locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) care.
  
  
  METHODS
  To further evaluate the efficiency and safety of cetuximab in advanced cSCC, a single-center retrospective study including all patients treated with cetuximab alone or combined with carboplatin for locally advanced or metastatic cSCC was conducted in a tertiary referral center. The primary end point was the overall response rate (ORR) after 2 cycles of treatment. Secondary end points were best overall disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), best response duration, progression-free survival (PFS), and toxicity profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 14 enrolled patients, no complete response was obtained after 2 cycles of treatment, but 3 partial responses and 6 stable diseases were observed. ORR and DCR were 21.4 and 64.3%, respectively. Median OS and PFS were 9.25 and 2.65 months, respectively. Median PFS was longer with combined treatment compared with cetuximab monotherapy (9.03 vs. 3.55 months). The safety profile was acceptable with a trend toward a relationship between acne-like rash and longer response (median PFS 5.2 vs. 2.2 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In all series including ours, disease control is usually rapidly obtained with cetuximab alone or combined with conventional chemotherapy, although with a minority of partial responses and no complete response. However, this control is of short duration in most cases. The safety profile is acceptable. A randomized phase III trial is warranted to better assess the benefit/risk ratio.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, INSERM U1058, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dereure
authors.forename: Hamoudeh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Missan
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costes
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000074322:Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000068818:Cetuximab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000074322:Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; D000068818:Cetuximab
keywords: Cetuximab; Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; Locally advanced disease; Metastatic disease