Fluorouracil, Hydroxyurea, Cetuximab and Twice-daily Intensity Radiation Therapy for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Summary

For advanced head and neck cancer, combined radiation and chemotherapy prevents recurrences and for many patients, improves survival. While combined cisplatin and radiation or cetuximab and radiation is more effective than radiation alone, approximately 50% of these patients will still recur. A more aggressive approach may be needed for these patients to prevent recurrence and death. The strategy of using multiple chemotherapy drugs with radiation given twice a day has been tested at Mount Sinai and University of Chicago. Approximately 80% of patients are cured with this strategy. While cure rates are higher than standard chemotherapy and radiation and the treatment is tolerable, side effects during treatment are common. We propose replacing a chemotherapy drug with a less toxic, targeted therapy called cetuximab. Our goal is to reduce toxicity while maintaining or improving cure rates for these patients.

Timeline

Start

2007-02

Primary completion

2010-10

Completion

2010-10

Publications

• Results Kao J, Genden EM, Gupta V, Policarpio EL, Burri RJ, Rivera M, Gurudutt V, Som PM, Teng M, Packer SH. Phase 2 trial of concurrent 5-fluorouracil, hydroxyurea, cetuximab, and hyperfractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Cancer. 2011 Jan 15;117(2):318-26. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25374. Epub 2010 Sep 9.

Drugs

Indications