Br J Dermatol 2015 Aug 08
Efficacy of neoadjuvant cetuximab alone or with platinum salt for the treatment of unresectable advanced nonmetastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas.   
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Refractory locally advanced or metastatic nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is a frequent therapeutic impasse.
OBJECTIVES
To address the question of the efficacy of induction therapy with cetuximab as neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced NMSC.
METHODS
From 2008 to 2013, all patients with a diagnosis of unresectable locally advanced skin squamous cell carcinoma were treated with neoadjuvant cetuximab alone (CM) or combined with a platinum salt and 5-fluorouracil (CC). Resectability, and clinical and pathological response, as well as relapse-free and overall survival were evaluated.
RESULTS
Thirty-four patients, with a median age of 74·5 years, were evaluated. Twenty-five patients received CC. After three cycles of CC, 23 of 25 patients whose tumours were initially unresectable became amenable to surgery (92%). A complete histological response was observed in 15 (65%) patients. The mean progression-free and mean overall survival in operated patients were 8·5 and 26·0 months, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
There was a good response in terms of resectability and tumour control in the majority of patients, with few relapses, despite the initially poor prognosis of these tumours in this elderly group of patients. However, this therapeutic strategy needs to be validated in a prospective, randomized study.

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