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Review
. 2021 Mar 9:13:1758835920949418.
doi: 10.1177/1758835920949418. eCollection 2021.

Head and neck cancer: the role of anti-EGFR agents in the era of immunotherapy

Morena Fasano  1 , Carminia Maria Della Corte  2 , Giuseppe Viscardi  2 , Raimondo Di Liello  2 , Fernando Paragliola  2 , Francesca Sparano  2 , Maria Lucia Iacovino  2 , Anna Castrichino  3 , Francesca Doria  4 , Antonello Sica  2 , Floriana Morgillo  2 , Giuseppe Colella  5 , Giampaolo Tartaro  5 , Salvatore Cappabianca  6 , Domenico Testa  7 , Gaetano Motta  7 , Fortunato Ciardiello  2
Affiliations
Review

Head and neck cancer: the role of anti-EGFR agents in the era of immunotherapy

Morena Fasano et al. Ther Adv Med Oncol. .

Abstract

Head and neck cancers (HNC) represent the seventh most frequent cancer worldwide, with squamous cell carcinomas as the most frequent histologic subtype. Standard treatment for early stage diseases is represented by single modality surgery or radiotherapy, whereas in the locally advanced and recurrent or metastatic settings a more aggressive multi-modal approach is needed with locoregional intervention and/or systemic therapies. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in HNC biology and has been studied extensively in preclinical and clinical settings. In this scenario, anti-EGFR targeted agent cetuximab, introduced in clinical practice a decade ago, represents the only approved targeted therapy to date, while the development of immune-checkpoint inhibitors has recently changed the available treatment options. In this review, we focus on the current role of anti-EGFR therapies in HNCs, underlying available clinical data and mechanisms of resistance, and highlight future perspectives regarding their role in the era of immunotherapy.

Keywords: EGFR; HNC; HNSCC; cetuximab; immunotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: FC: Advisory Boards: Roche, Amgen, Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi, Bayer, Servier, BMS, Cellgene, Lilly; Institutional Research Grants: Bayer, Roche, Merck, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Ipsen. FM: Advisory Boards: MSD, Lilly; Institutional Research Grants: AstraZeneca.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
EGFR pathway and targets for combination strategies in HNSCC. EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; HNSCC, head and neck cancer squamous cell carcinoma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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