ĐÁNH GIÁ KẾT QUẢ XẠ TRỊ KẾT HỢP CETUXIMAB TRONG UNG THƯ BIỂU MÔ TẾ BÀO VẢY VÙNG ĐẦU CỔ GIAI ĐOẠN TẠI CHỖ – TẠI VÙNG TẠI BỆNH VIỆN UNG BƯỚU NGHỆ AN

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy combined with cetuximab in patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated at Nghe An Oncology Hospital from January 2019 to September 2025. Subjects and Methods: This was a combined retrospective and prospective descriptive study with longitudinal follow-up on 19 histologically confirmed patients who underwent definitive radiotherapy with cetuximab (loading dose 400 mg/m² followed by 250 mg/m² weekly; total radiation dose 70 Gy). Results: The mean age was 68.1 ± 7.3 years; 94.7% were male. The most common tumor sites were hypopharynx–larynx (68.4%), and 78.9% of patients were in stage IV. Complete and partial response rates were 42.1% and 36.8%, respectively; the overall response rate (ORR) was 78.9%, and the disease control rate (DCR) reached 100%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10 months (95% CI: 4.0–16.0), and the median overall survival (OS) was 21 months (95% CI: 15.2–26.8). The main toxicities were grade 1-2 skin and mucosal reactions. Conclusion: Radiotherapy combined with cetuximab demonstrated high response and disease control rates with acceptable toxicity. This regimen appears to be a feasible and safe therapeutic option for patients with advanced head and neck cancer, especially for elderly or cisplatin-unfit patients