A comparison of weekly paclitaxel and cetuximab with the EXTREME regimen in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic squamous cell head and neck carcinoma

Background: The effectiveness of the combination chemotherapy of weekly paclitaxel and cetuximab has not yet been compared to that of the current standard regimen, EXTREME (combination of 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin and cetuximab). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of R/M SCCHN patients who received cetuximab-containing chemotherapy as a first-line therapy; from these, patients receiving a weekly paclitaxel and cetuximab regimen (cohort A) and the EXTREME regimen (cohort B) were extracted. The responses, prognoses and adverse events of these two cohorts were evaluated. Results: A total of 86 patients were included (cohort A, 49; cohort B, 36). Patients with histories of platinum-based chemotherapy were more frequently given the cohort A treatment. Though the response rates were similar in the two cohorts (45% in cohort A and 51% in cohort B; p = 0.83), the progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly more favorable in cohort A by the log-rank test (6.0 months vs 5.0 months; p = 0.027). In the Cox-regression hazard analyses, male gender (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.1, p = 0.010), older age (>= 70 yo) (HR = 5.0, p = 0.018), PS 0 (HR = 2.2, p = 0.027), no history of platinum chemotherapy (HR = 3.2, p = 0.003) and the presence of a tracheostomy (HR = 2.3, p = 0.039) were favorable factors within cohort A. Conclusion: In selected R/M SCCHN patients, the combination of weekly paclitaxel and cetuximab could be the better treatment option than the EXTREME regimen. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.