We review clinical trials of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) to address the current and potential uses of cetuximab (CTX). PubMed was reviewed to identify papers published between 2010 and 2016. The search terms used were "cetuximab" and "head and neck cancer." A total of 634 articles were identified. Phase II or III studies with CTX in patients with advanced SCCHN without treatment or with recurrent/metastatic tumors were selected. Forty-six registries were obtained. Information was critically reviewed and relevant information presented. As definitive treatment of advanced squamous cells carcinomas and as palliative treatment of recurrent/metastatic disease, CTX alone or associated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is an alternative to chemoradiotherapy because of its distinct and favorable toxicity profile.
© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.