A Phase III Study of Postoperative Radiation Therapy with and without Cetuximab for Locally Advanced Resected Head and Neck Cancer

Surgery followed by radiation therapy is a standard treatment for head and neck cancer. Some cancers have a greater risk of returning. In this study, researchers want to determine if adding the drug cetuximab to radiation therapy after surgery to remove locally advanced head and neck cancer is more effective than surgery plus radiation therapy alone for patients whose tumors are determined to have an intermediate risk of recurring. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive one treatment regimen or the other.

Cetuximab may delay or prevent tumor growth by blocking certain cellular chemical pathways that trigger tumor development. It is already approved for the treatment of head and neck cancers.