Panitumumab did not significantly increase OS in recurrent, metastatic head/neck cancer

ESMO 35th Congress

MILAN — New findings from the SPECTRUM trial indicate that the monoclonal anti-EGFR antibody panitumumab in combination with chemotherapy did not lead to significant improvements in OS for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer, according to findings presented here.

Although not statistically significant, median OS was 11.1 months in patients assigned panitumumab compared with 9 months in patients assigned chemotherapy alone (HR=0.87; 95% C1: 0.73–1.05; P=.14).

Researchers for the SPECTRUM trial randomly assigned 657 patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck to cisplatin-5-fluorourcil (n=330) or fluorouracil plus panitumumab (n=327).

Patients assigned panitumumab had PFS of 5.8 months compared with 4.6 months in patients assigned chemotherapy alone (HR=0.78; 95% Cl, 0.66–0.92).

According to Jan Vermorken, MD, of Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium, further studies integrating panitumumab into multimodal treatment are in development. Vermorken and colleagues are conducting a subgroup analysis to identify whether or not patients received prior radiotherapy or chemoradiation at the site of their primary tumor.

“The outcome of the trial was surprising. However, the risk of having a negative result in terms of OS was never unimaginable considering the differences in supportive care available in different countries, differences in the types of patients treated and the availability of further treatment once they were off the study protocol,” he said.

For more information:

Vermorken J. #LBA26. Presented at: the ESMO 35th Congress; Oct. 8-12, 2010; Milan, Italy.

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