How efective is Erbitux for a methastasic bone cancer? What can I expect?!
Question:
How efective is Erbitux for a methastasic bone cancer? What can I expect?
The methastasic bone cancer is from an unknown primary without any organ compromised, till now we know his liver has cells but is working normally wihtout any simptom.
We have 2 years with this problem one looking for what was the desease and other one with the diagnosis. He is in good shape now, when he´s not in pain.
Answers:
Cetuximab (marketed under the name Erbitux) is used in metastatic colon cancer and is given concurrently with the chemotherapy drug irinotecan (Camptosar®), a form of chemotherapy that blocks the effect of DNA topoisomerase I, resulting in fatal damage to the DNA of affected cells. While there remains some scientific controversy on this, assessment for EGFR expression is required for use in Colorectal Cancer, but not in Head & Neck Cancer. It is best to refer to updated Prescription Information [2]. Cetuximab was approved by the FDA in March 2006[3] for use in combination with radiation therapy for treating squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) or as a single agent in patients who have had prior platinum-based therapy.
One of the side effects of Cetuximab therapy is the incidence of, possibly severe, acne-like rash.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cetuximab...
Compared to radiation alone, cetuximab plus radiation therapy can nearly double the median survival in patients with a certain kind of head and neck cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body. However, further research is needed to know whether cetuximab plus radiation is more effective than the current standard of care (chemoradiotherapy using the drug cisplatin).