Recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) is a devastating malignancy with a poor prognosis. Treatment is limited to chemotherapeutic approaches. Cisplatin is an established and effective treatment for R/M HNSCC, and many studies have investigated cisplatin treatment in combination with other agents. Even when being treated with first line therapy (cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil + cetuximab), overall survival is only 10 months, indicating the need for novel chemotherapeutics and treatment regimens. Current research is focused on molecular targeting therapies inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor, phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin, and vascular endothelial growth factor pathways. A variety of clinical trials have been completed and are currently underway with encouraging results. Finally, future directions of cisplatin-based R/M HNSCC treatment may include targeting specific pathways known to induce cisplatin resistance, such as nucleotide excision repair and inhibition of apoptosis, in hopes to enhance response to cisplatin therapy.
Keywords: chemotherapy; cisplatin; head and neck cancer.