Phase II randomized trial of radiation therapy, cetuximab, and pemetrexed with or without bevacizumab in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We previously reported the safety of concurrent cetuximab, an antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), pemetrexed, and radiation therapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). In this non-comparative phase II randomized trial, we evaluated this non-platinum combination with or without bevacizumab, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Patients and methods

Patients with previously untreated stage III-IVB SCCHN were randomized to receive: conventionally fractionated radiation (70 Gy), concurrent cetuximab, and concurrent pemetrexed (arm A); or the identical regimen plus concurrent bevacizumab followed by bevacizumab maintenance for 24 weeks (arm B). The primary end point was

SUBMITTER: Argiris A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6279075 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature