Current treatment options in oncology
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Curr Treat Options Oncol · Mar 2012
ReviewCurrent treatment options for metastatic head and neck cancer.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is now the 8th most common cancer affecting men in the United States largely due to a rising epidemic of oropharynx cancer (tonsil and tongue base) associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). The median overall survival for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (R/M HNSCC) remains less than 1 year despite modern chemotherapy and targeted agents. Palliative chemotherapy and the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor, cetuximab, constitute the backbone of treatment for patients with R/M HNSCC. ⋯ Aggressive symptom management is imperative for all patients and often should include referral to experts in palliative care and pain management. New therapies currently under investigation include mTOR inhibitors, anti-angiogenic agents, and IGF1R inhibitors. Given the poor prognosis for most patients with R/M HNSCC, enrollment in clinical trials investigating novel approaches to therapy should be encouraged.