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Radiotherapy for elderly patients and cetuximab, a monocentric study

  • Head and Neck
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Abstract

Concomitant radiotherapy and cetuximab association has shown superiority to exclusive radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Data on this association are scarce for the elderly population despite its rising incidence. A retrospective monocentric data collection was performed in the Antoine Lacassagne Cancer Center in France. Inclusion criteria were: age >70 years at time of diagnosis, histologically proven head and neck epidermoid carcinoma, treated with radiotherapy combined with cetuximab. Thirty-five patients were included between 2008 and 2012. Median follow-up was 22 months. Median age was 74 years (70–86). Median performance status was 1 (0–2). Female/male sex ratio was 0.34. Tumor sites were: oropharynx (57.1 %), larynx (20 %), hypopharynx (14.3 %), oral cavity (2.9 %), nasopharynx (2.9 %), and lymph node with unknown primary (2.9 %). Using TNM classification, tumors were: T1 (5.9 %), T2 (35.3 %), T3 (35.3 %), T4 (22.9 %), N0 (28.6 %), N1 (8.6 %), N2 (48.6 %), and N3 (14.3 %). Median radiotherapy dose was 70 (60–70). RT was interrupted in 94 % of patients and the dose of cetuximab was reduced in 29 %. Median survivals were, respectively: 49 months for overall survival (standard error (SE) = 8) and 32 months for relapse-free survival (SE = 10). Two-year local–regional relapse and metastatic relapse-free survivals were, respectively, 59 % (SE = 10) and 74 % (SE = 10). Concomitant radiotherapy and cetuximab seem to be an effective therapy in the elderly population with encouraging results similar to the literature concerning its efficacy and toxicity. This treatment should be considered for patients >70 years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Oncology Department, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Avenue Valombrose, 06000, Nice, France

    Alexander T. Falk, Christophe Hébert, Marie-Eve Chand, Axel Leysalle, Juliette Thariat, Olivier Dassonville, Gilles Poissonnet, Alexandre Bozec, Esma Saada, Fréderic Peyrade & Karen Benezery

  2. Lenval Hospital, Nice, France

    Antoine Tran

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  1. Alexander T. Falk
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  2. Christophe Hébert
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  3. Antoine Tran
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  4. Marie-Eve Chand
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  5. Axel Leysalle
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  6. Juliette Thariat
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  7. Olivier Dassonville
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  8. Gilles Poissonnet
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  9. Alexandre Bozec
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  10. Esma Saada
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  11. Fréderic Peyrade
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  12. Karen Benezery
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Correspondence to Karen Benezery.

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The authors declare that they do not have conflict of interests.

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This retrospective study received approval by the local ethics committee.

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Falk, A.T., Hébert, C., Tran, A. et al. Radiotherapy for elderly patients and cetuximab, a monocentric study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 1061–1065 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4336-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-016-4336-3

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