{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,25]],"date-time":"2026-10-25T18:11:39Z","timestamp":1792951899166,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,22]],"date-time":"2022-07-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1658448000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Oncol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title><jats:p>Induction chemotherapy (ICT) followed by definitive treatment is an accepted non-surgical approach for locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC). However, ICT remains a challenge for cisplatin-unfit patients. We evaluated paclitaxel and cetuximab (P-C) as ICT in a cohort of LA-HNSCC patients unfit for cisplatin.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Materials and Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>This is a retrospective analysis of patients with newly diagnosed LA-HNSCC considered unfit for cisplatin-based chemotherapy (age &amp;gt;70 and\/or ECOG\u22652 and\/or comorbidities) treated with weekly P-C followed by definitive radiotherapy and cetuximab (RT-C) between 2010 and 2017. Toxicity and objective response rate (ORR) to ICT and RT-C were collected. Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated using the Kaplan\u2013Meier method. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine baseline predictors of OS and PFS.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>A total of 57 patients were included. Grade 3\u20134 toxicity rate to ICT was 54.4%, and there was a death deemed treatment-related (G5). P-C achieved an ORR of 66.7%, including 12.3% of complete responses (CR). After P-C, 45 patients (78.9%) continued with concomitant RT-C. Twenty-six patients (45.6%) achieved a CR after definitive treatment. With a median follow-up of 21.7 months (range 1.2\u201394.6), median OS and PFS were 22.9 months and 10.7 months, respectively. The estimated 2-year OS and PFS rates were 48.9% and 33.7%, respectively. Disease stage had a negative impact on OS (stage IVb vs. III\u2013IVa: HR = 2.55 [1.08\u20136.04], <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.03), with a trend towards worse PFS (HR = 1.92 [0.91\u20134.05], <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.09). Primary tumor in the larynx was associated with improved PFS but not OS (HR = 0.45 [0.22\u20130.92], <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.03, and HR = 0.69 [0.32\u20131.54], <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.37, respectively).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>P-C was a well-tolerated and active ICT regimen in this cohort of LA-HNSCC patients unfit for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. P-C might represent a valid ICT option for unfit patients and may aid patient selection for definitive treatment.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fonc.2022.953020","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,22]],"date-time":"2022-07-22T10:58:43Z","timestamp":1658487523000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Paclitaxel Plus Cetuximab as Induction Chemotherapy for Patients With Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Unfit for Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Juan A.","family":"Mar\u00edn-Jim\u00e9nez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marc","family":"Oliva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paloma","family":"Peinado Mart\u00edn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Santiago","family":"Cabezas-Camarero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Plana Serrahima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gonzalo","family":"V\u00e1zquez Masedo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alicia","family":"Lozano Borbalas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda N.","family":"Cabrera Mart\u00edn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Esteve","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda C.","family":"Iglesias Moreno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Esther","family":"Vilajosana Altamis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lorena","family":"Arribas Hortig\u00fcela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Miren","family":"Taberna Sanz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pedro","family":"P\u00e9rez-Segura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ricard","family":"Mes\u00eda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,7,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejca.2015.07.043","article-title":"Prognoses and Improvement for 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