Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) targets and destroys tumor cells through irradiation with 690-nm red light after the administration of cetuximab sarotalocan sodium, which contains IRDye700DX bound to cetuximab. In Japan, PIT is a new treatment that is covered by insurance only for unresectable head and neck cancers. However, this treatment has conditional early approval. There have been no case reports describing the efficacy of this treatment in a real-world setting thus far. We report our experience with PIT for head and neck cancer. A 76-year-old man with laryngeal cancer underwent radiation therapy and surgery. Skin involvement in the right submandibular region was subsequently noted. We diagnosed local recurrence and performed PIT for this lesion. Partial response was achieved after the first PIT session, and progressive disease was diagnosed after the second session. Many aspects of PIT remain unclear and should, therefore, be clarified in further research. Despite this uncertainty, PIT may become an effective treatment strategy for head and neck cancer if the patient selection criteria are delineated.
Keywords: Cetuximab sarotalocan sodium; Head and neck carcinoma; Laryngeal cancer; Photoimmunotherapy; Photosensitivity.
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