Response to reintroduction of cetuximab in 5 patients with advanced, chemotherapy-resistant, colorectal cancer without progressive disease following first-line therapy with a cetuximab-containing regimen

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to determine the response to cetuximab in advanced, chemotherapy-resistant, colorectal cancer following successful first-line therapy with the antibody.

Methods: Five patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with a cetuximab-containing regimen after failure of several conventional chemotherapies.

Results: These patients had been successfully treated with cetuximab as first-line therapy, and the antibody was then discontinued without disease progression. No severe toxicities were observed upon reexposure to cetuximab. Partial response was noted in 1 patient and tumor stabilization in 2 patients.

Conclusion: Reintroduction of cetuximab in combination with chemotherapy is safe and efficacious in patients with colorectal cancer whose tumors were not refractory to a prior cetuximab-containing therapy.