NICE says yes to survival prolonging head, neck cancer treatment
15 years, 12 months ago
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Posted on Apr 29, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended the use of Cetuximab in combination with radiotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer.
The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended the use of Cetuximab in combination with radiotherapy for the treatment of locally advanced head and neck cancer.
NICE today issued a Final Appraisal Determination, permitting the use of the treatment in patients that are contraindicated to all forms of platinum based chemoradiotherapy.
Cetuximab (Erbitux) is one of the first new treatments in over four decades proven to significantly lengthen patients' survival and longevity.
Dr Nicholas Slevin, consultant in oncology at Christie Hospital, Manchester, said: "As a clinician treating head and neck cancer, I welcome NICE's decision of offering cetuximab to selected patients who are having radiotherapy as it improves the chance of tumour control without adding to the risk of troublesome radiotherapy-related side effects."
According to the National Cancer Institute, cancers of the head and neck account for six per cent of all malignancies in the US.
