Neoadjuvant Erbitux Based Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Oral/Oropharyngeal Cancer

EGFR is a potential target for new anticancer therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, because blocking the EGFR by a monoclonal antibody results in inhibition of the stimulation of the receptor, therefore, in inhibition of cell proliferation, enhanced apoptosis, and reduced angiogenesis, invasiveness and metastases. The study hypothesis is that neo-adjuvant Erbitux-based chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiotherapy for locally advanced oral/oropharyngeal cancer could benefit the patients on prognosis. The endpoints of this study are the pathological complete response after neo-adjuvant Erbitux-based chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiotherapy, the survival rate, and the safety.