Managing recurrent/advanced oropharyngeal/oesophageal cancer with cetuximab-based regimens: A case series

Background: Several clinical trials in a setting of recurrent/metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (HNSCC) have reported the use of cetuximab with chemotherapy (CT) or radiation therapy (RT). Methods: : We report on 14 R/M HNSCC (oropharyngeal/oesophageal cancer). These are the patients who are receiving cetuximab as part of their treatment plan and are on follow-up at time of writing. Results: : Seven patients were diagnosed with tongue cancer (#1, #5, #9, #10, #11, #12, and #13) and five patients with cancer of the oral cavity (patient #2, #3, #4, #7 and #14). One patient each had cancer of the oesophagus and larynx, respectively. All patients were treated with CTX (dose: 400 mg–800 mg) for R/M cancer. Patients #1, #3, #4, #5 #7 and #8 received concurrent CT (cisplatin) and RT. Patient #10 received RT and CTX. Patient #8 received docetaxel [doceAqualip], cisplatin, CTX (TPEx) as a second line of therapy after treatment failure with concomitant CT and RT for primary cancer. Patient #11 was switched to nivolumab after stabilizing on TPEx. Patient #13 received docetaxel- cisplatin-5-fluorouracil (5-FU), nivolumab, and afatinib before CTX. Conclusions: : Patients had completed a minimum of one and a maximum of six cycles of TPEx. All patients are alive at time of writing.