Phase I of Biologics and Chemoradiation Therapy for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Locally advanced non-operative, Stage IV head and neck cancer has at best a guarded prognosis. Improvements in outcome have been achieved via the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is needed to optimize results, although recent data suggest a benefit from induction therapy as well. Nonetheless, despite high remission rates, most of these patients will suffer local-regional and/or distant recurrence from their disease. The proposed study will build upon the framework of chemoradiotherapy (induction plus concurrent) via the addition of a double biologic therapy. Specifically, the combination of bevacizumab and erlotinib will be used, as has been studied in other types of cancer.