Erbitux^®

Erbitux^® is a monoclonal antibody indicated for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, as well as locally or regionally advanced head and neck cancer. Erbitux^® works by binding to a particular protein in your body, called the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

The EGFR is a protein which protrudes from the surface of cells and is responsible for capturing and relaying growth signals within the cells. By binding to the EGFR, Erbitux^® works by preventing growth signals from reaching the inside of cancerous cells, prohibiting their division and growth.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we combine a range of powerful traditional, new and complementary therapies to fight your cancer on all fronts. Your team of oncology specialists will work closely with each other and you to determine if Erbitux^® is the right treatment. We'll keep you well informed and ensure you are comfortable with all decisions made regarding your cancer treatment.

Chat with an information specialist today to learn about advanced treatment options. Discover how our cancer hospitals offer a unique, whole-person approach to treat all of you.

Some patients undergoing Erbitux^® treatment by infusion (injection into the vein) have experienced the following reactions:

• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Feeling itchy

Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of these reactions, or if you have wheezing, exceptionally strident breathing, or a hoarse voice during infusion of Erbitux^®.

In addition to infusion reactions, patients undergoing Erbitux^® treatment have also experienced the following serious side effects:

• Allergic reaction (shortness of breath, swelling of the face, tongue, lips or throat, or hives)
• Chest pain
• General ill feeling
• Frequent urination
• Confusion
• Hot, dry skin in combination with weakness or dizziness
• White patches or sores in or around your mouth

Other less serious side effects have also been associated with Erbitux^® treatment:

• Dry, cracked or swollen skin
• Dry mouth or difficulty swallowing
• Weakness
• Weight loss
• Constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, or loss of appetite
• Cough or sore throat
• Skin rash (similar in appearance to acne)

It is important to note that these are not all of the side effects associated with Erbitux^® treatment.

Your team of cancer doctors at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) will ensure you are well informed and up to date on all treatments used in your individualized plan of therapy. For all forms of treatment, including Erbitux^®, your oncologists at CTCA will discuss the corresponding expectations and potential side effects of each.

Erbitux^® is approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer that has spread to other areas of the body). It is also approved for patients whose tumor expresses epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a protein in the body which is important for the growth and division of cells.

For colorectal cancer patients, Erbitux^® is used in combination with the chemotherapy drug Camptosar^® (irinotecan), following additional tumor growth after chemotherapy with Camptosar^®.

Erbitux^® is also used in the treatment of colorectal cancer for patients unable to undergo chemotherapy with Camptosar^®.

Used in combination with radiation therapy, Erbitux^® is an approved form of treatment for patients with locally or regionally advanced head and neck cancer.

Erbitux^® is also indicated as a standalone treatment for patients with a distinct type of head and neck cancer, and whose tumor has either returned to the same part of the body or has spread to other areas of the body. In these cases, Erbitux^® is typically used as a standalone treatment in patients who have failed platinum-based chemotherapy.

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), your care team is committed to helping you overcome your disease. Our individualized approach to cancer treatment ensures that you are at the center of everything we do. Working together in one location, your team of cancer specialists will develop a powerful combination of therapies tailored to you.

Contact us today at 1-800-615-3055 to learn more about our whole-body approach to cancer treatment.