Title
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Quality of life of patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab first line for recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck
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Author
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Abstract
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Background: A phase III trial demonstrated that cetuximab is the first agent in 30 years to improve survival when added to latinum-based chemotherapy (platinum-fluorouracil) first line for recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). This analysis of the trial assessed the impact of treatment on quality of life (QoL). Patients and methods: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and QLQ-Head and Neck 35 (QLQ-H&N35) module were used to assess QoL. Results: Of 442 patients randomly assigned, 291 (QLQ-C30) and 289 (QLQ-H&N35) patients completed at least one evaluable questionnaire. For QLQ-C30, cycle 3 and month 6 mean scores for platinumfluorouracil plus cetuximab were not significantly worse than those for platinumfluorouracil. Pattern-mixture analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in the global health status/QoL score in the cetuximab arm (P = 0.0415) but no treatment differences in the social functioning scale. For QLQ-H&N35, the mean score for the cetuximab arm was not significantly worse than that for the chemotherapy arm for all symptom scales at all post-baseline visits. At cycle 3, some symptom scores significantly favored the cetuximab arm (pain, swallowing, speech problems, and social eating). Conclusion: Adding cetuximab to platinumfluorouracil does not adversely affect the QoL of patients with recurrent and/or metastatic SCCHN. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Annals of oncology / European Society for Medical Oncology. - Amsterdam
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Publication
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Amsterdam
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2010
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ISSN
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0923-7534
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Volume/pages
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21
:10
(2010)
, p. 1967-1973
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ISI
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000282168600006
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Full text (Publisher's DOI)
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