Title:Cetuximab and the Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer
Volume: 18
Issue: 3
Author(s): Riccardo Concu*M. Natalia D.S. Cordeiro*
Affiliation:
- REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto,Portugal
- REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto,Portugal
Keywords:
Cell, Cancer, Cetuximab, Food and Drug Association, Cytotoxic T lymphocytes, Epidermal growth factors.
Abstract: The Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer (HNSCC) is the most common type of head and
neck cancer (more than 90%), and all over the world more than a half million people have been developing
this cancer in the last years. This type of cancer is usually marked by a poor prognosis with a really
significant morbidity and mortality. Cetuximab received early favor as an exciting and promising new
therapy with relatively mild side effect, and due to this, received authorization in 2004 from the European
Medicines Agency (EMA) and in 2006 from the Food and Drug Association (FDA) for the treatment
of patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck in combination with radiation therapy
for locally advanced disease. In this work we will review the application and the efficacy of the Cetuximab
in the treatment of the HNSCC.
