Linked Life Data

19373942

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/19373942

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-4-17
pubmed:abstractText
Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) region is among the most frequent human tumors due to the alcohol and tobacco abuse. Its management has evolved gradually from surgery as the mainstay of therapy to irradiation as the principal treatment. When radiation therapy is combined with chemotherapy, additional benefit is obtained. The value of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is, however, counterbalanced by increased and often prohibitive toxicity, particularly among patients with coexisting medical conditions and decreased performance status. A member of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases known as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is abnormally activated in epithelial cancers, including head and neck cancers. Overexpression of EGFR is a feature associated with poor clinical outcome. It is observed that radiation increases the expression of EGFR in cancer cells and the blockade of EGFR signaling sensitizes cells to the effects of radiation. The cytotoxic effects of radiation therapy in squamous cell carcinoma could be enhanced by cetuximab (erbitux), a monoclonal antibody against the ligand-binding domain of EGFR. The major studies that focus on the efficacy of adding cetuximab to radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer and its impact in quality of life are reviewed in this study.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
1107-0625
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
14
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
19-25
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-11-19
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:articleTitle
The efficacy of combined treatment with cetuximab (erbitux) and radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer.
pubmed:affiliation
University of Athens, Medical School, 2nd Department of Radiology, Radiation Therapy Unit, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece. gkoyokoyrakis@yahoo.gr
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review