NICE turns down Erbitux in head and neck cancer

Based on a study that assessed the drug in patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck when combined with radiotherapy, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence concluded that Erbitux would not be recommended.

Although patients in the trial taking Erbitux had a longer median overall survival of 49 months compared to 29.3 months for the patients treated with radiation alone, the committee pointed out that most treatment regimes for this cancer involve a combination of chemotherapy and radio therapy. Carboplatin or cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy could be alternatives to Erbitux, NICE said in its report.

The panel recommended more research on the issue, and noted that a clinical trial on radiation therapy and cisplatin with or without cetuximab in treating patients with stage III or stage IV head and neck cancer is currently recruiting patients.

However, NICE has been criticised for the decision by patient groups. Erbitux is the first drug in head and neck cancer that has been licensed by the FDA for over 40 years, and the current chemoradiotherapy regime is very toxic to the patient.

Cancer Research UK said: “In July last year the Scottish Medicines Consortium approved cetuximab for use within NHS Scotland for the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer who are not appropriate for or unable to tolerate chemoradiotherapy. Clearly, it would be unfair if patients in Carlisle were not entitled to the same treatment options as those over the boarder in Dumfries.”