Adverse event management as a pathway to optimal outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients: A clinical case

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. However, malignant tumors of the middle ear are extremely rare. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histologic type of tumor in this area, accounting for more than 50% of cases. Complex anatomical and topographic features of the inner ear and inapparent clinical symptoms result in delayed diagnosis of this disease. A case of a patient with highly differentiated middle ear squamous cell carcinoma is presented. The patient received complex treatment, including drug antitumor therapy according to the TPEx protocol: docetaxel + cisplatin + cetuximab. Being highly effective, this protocol requires a multidisciplinary approach in order to ensure maximum safety of therapy. The case illustrates the classic “portrait” of a patient with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and also provides a comprehensive description of the spectrum of adverse events faced by such patients and their oncologists. Based on this clinical case, the features of management of such adverse events are analyzed.