Can Erlotinib Ameliorate Cisplatin-Induced Toxicities?

izedphaseIIclinicaltrialthatdemonstratedaddingerlotinibtocisplatin and radiotherapy failed to significantly increase response rates or progression-free survival in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The incentive for the study was based on the notion that the target of erlotinib, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is overexpressed in more than 90% of SCCHN, and the previous observation that patients with this disease seem to benefit from cetuximab, a chimeric antibody against EGFR. 2,3 As mentioned by Hansen and Siu in the accompanying editorial, 4 the study by Martins et al is one of several trials suggesting that there is no therapeutic benefit of small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target EGFR in the treatment of SCCHN. One particularly interesting observation reported by Martins