Emerging drugs for head and neck cancer

Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 2004 May;9(1):91-104. doi: 10.1517/eoed.9.1.91.32953.

Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is a devastating disease with poor outcomes in advanced stages. For patients with locally advanced disease, a multi-modality approach with chemotherapy and radiotherapy has been used. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, including improvements in radiation therapy, surgical techniques, chemotherapy and prevention strategies, survival rates for patients with recurrent head and neck cancer are poor. Several cytotoxic drugs with significant activities as single agents and/or combination regimens have shown high response rates, but over the past several years, significant improvement in survival has not been achieved. New drugs, including those that target the epidermal growth factor receptor, the p53 gene, RAS protein post-translational modification, the proteosome, vascular endothelial growth factor, cyclooxygenase-2 and other molecular pathways, are promising agents in the management of head and neck cancer. Their potential is being tested in various settings, including chemoprevention, recurrent and metastatic disease and combination with radiation therapy and/or cytotoxic agents.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents / classification
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / prevention & control
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / secondary
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Drug Design
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors / immunology
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Growth Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Growth Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / genetics
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / therapy
  • Humans
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy
  • Neoplasm Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neoplasm Proteins / immunology
  • Palliative Care
  • Remission Induction
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Growth Inhibitors
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • ErbB Receptors