Changes in blood parameters of patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma during polychemotherapy with cetuximab.

Abstract

e17579 Background: Our purpose was to evaluate changes in blood parameters in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) during polychemotherapy (PCT) with cetuximab. Methods: Levels of white blood cells (WBC), immature granulocytes (IG) and neutrophils (Ne), as well as levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatinine were studied in the blood of 20 patients with stage I-III LSCC before therapy with cetuximab/cisplatin+5-fluorouracil and on days 2, 9 and 16 of the therapy. The control group (21 patients) received similar PCT without cetuximab. Treatment was assessed using the RECIST criteria. Results: Partial response was observed in 16 (80%) patients of the main group and in 5 (23.8%) controls, stabilization - 4 (20%) and 12 (57.4%), respectively, progression – in 4 (19%) patients of the control group. Patients of the main group with treatment effect showed WBC increase by 2 times after every cetuximab injection (days 2, 9, 16) compared with the initial levels due to Ne and IG increase by 2.7 and 4 times, respectively. WBC and IG levels measured on days 2, 9 and 16 were 13.40±2.86×109/L, 13.52±1.88×109/L, 12.25±2.08×109/L and 0.044±0.021×109/L, 0.056±0.015×109/L, 0.060±0.008×109/L, respectively (p < 0.001). A transient increase in the indexes was replaced by their decrease to the initial values, with the values similar to the reference ones by the end of the treatment. At the same time, we observed decrease in CRP and creatinine levels up to the reference levels (7.69±3.28 mg/L and 74.75±6.54 umol/L, respectively); LDH did not increase. Stabilization was characterized by unchanged WBC levels, positive dynamics of IG and slow decline of CRP level exceeding the reference one (10.0 mg/L) by the treatment end. Reduction of WBC and increase in IG and CRP levels were noted in the controls regardless of the PCT results which could be explained by severity of intoxication syndrome, partially due to the disease and partially due to PCT toxicity. Conclusions: A dual transient increase in WBC and IG levels, reduction of CRP and creatinine during the treatment and unchanged LDH indicate minimization of myelotoxic and general toxic effects of PCT in combination with cetuximab.