Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer and Erbitux

The drug Erbitux^® (cetuximab) is approved to treat a couple of different conditions. Specifically, it is approved to treat metastatic cancer of the head and neck, and advanced colorectal cancer. When Erbitux is used to treat metastatic head and neck cancer, it can be given in a few different ways:

In combination with radiation therapy in people who have not yet been treated for their head and neck cancer
In combination with "platinum-based" chemotherapy (cisplatin or carboplatin) and fluorouracil (Adrucil^®, Carac^®, Efudex^®, Fluoroplex^®, also known as 5-FU) in people whose cancer has come back to the same location (recurred) or has spread to other areas of the body (is metastatic)
As the only treatment in people whose cancer has come back to the same location or has spread to other areas of the body and who have failed treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy.

(Click Erbitux Uses to learn more about how this drug works to treat cancer, the conditions under which it is prescribed, and possible off-label uses.)