Long-term disease control in a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity treated with maintenance metronomic capecitabine.
J Oncol Pharm Pract
; 26(1): 240-243, 2020 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31042137
ABSTRACT
Recurrent or metastatic disease occurs in two-thirds of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and it is associated with poor prognosis. Systemic treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with the epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting monoclonal antibody cetuximab represents a preferred option for these patients. Upon the achievement of tumor response by combined treatment, maintenance with single-agent cetuximab is usually administered with the aim of prolonging disease control at the price of reasonable toxicity. Although rarely, however, cetuximab needs to be discontinued in the absence of disease progression because of intolerable side effects. Here we describe the case of a 66-year-old man with a metastatic cancer of oral cavity, who had to discontinue maintenance cetuximab and who achieved prolonged disease control with metronomic capecitabine. We suggest that capecitabine could be an effective and safe maintenance option in case of cetuximab intolerance.
Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Mouth Neoplasms
/
Capecitabine
/
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Year:
2020
Type:
Article