“This” drug can boost survival of head and neck cancer, reveals Tata Memorial Hospital

The long-term follow-up data evaluated 10-year overall survival, with a median follow-up of 8.86 years.

July 30, 2024

A study conducted by Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai has shown that adding Nimotuzumab to the standard treatment regimen significantly improves the 10-year overall survival rate for patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

The results of the Phase III study on 536 patients confirmed that Nimotuzumab not only improves progression-free survival but also maintains a good quality of life for long-term survivors, making it a potential therapeutic choice for this disease in India.

It evaluated the benefits of adding nimotuzumab to standard treatment (chemotherapy and radiation) for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA HNSCC).

Patients with head and neck cancer who received Nimotuzumab in combination with concurrent radiotherapy and cisplatin had a 10-year overall survival rate of 33.5%, compared to 22.5% who received only radiotherapy and cisplatin.

The median overall survival improved from 2.78 years in the standard treatment arm to 3.69 years in the Nimotuzumab arm. Furthermore, the study found no significant increase in late-term adverse events, highlighting the safety and tolerability of Nimotuzumab.

Head and neck cancers account for one-third of the cancer burden in India with more than 65% of patients presenting with loco-regional advanced disease that is often unresectable and necessitates medical management. In the locally advanced setting, no other targeted therapy can be combined with concurrent chemoradiation with the intent to cure, making this a significant advancement in the management of head and neck cancer.

The long-term follow-up data evaluated 10-year overall survival, with a median follow-up of 8.86 years. The study found that patients who received the weekly Nimotuzumab (NCRT) lived longer overall, with a 10-year survival rate of 33.5% compared to 22.5% for those who received standard (CRT) treatment alone, indicating a significant improvement with nimotuzumab addition. Importantly, adding nimotuzumab did not increase the risk of long-term side effects.

This benefit was particularly noticeable in patients whose tumors were not caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The study concluded that nimotuzumab enhances long-term overall survival without increasing late-term adverse events, particularly benefiting HPV-negative patients.