Low-dose sorafenib may improve therapy for head and neck cancer, Ohio researchers find

Adding low doses of the targeted agent sorafenib (German drug major Bayer and Onyx’ kidney and liver cancer drug Nexavar) to the chemotherapy and radiation now often used to treat head and neck cancer might significantly improve patient care and quality of life, according to a new study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).

The findings suggest that adding sorafenib would maintain treatment efficacy while permitting the use of lower doses of chemotherapy and radiation and decreasing the treatment’s harsh side effects. The triple combination was well-tolerated in an animal model.

About 49,200 new cases of head and neck cancer are expected in the USA this year, and 11,500 people are expected to die of the disease. Treatment is often unsuccessful because the tumors become resistant to both chemotherapy and radiation therapy.