Objective: To explore the efficacy of the combination of biological target therapy and chemotherapy.

Clinical data and methods: Seventy-one patients (54 men and 17 women aged from 30 to 83 years; mean 60) with local advanced oral-maxillofacial and head and neck tumors (no indication for surgery, radiotherapy) confirmed by histology and radiology, having indication of bio-chemotherapy, were enrolled in this study. The chemotherapy regimen is CDDP 75 mg/m ² d1, TAX 75 mg/m ² d1, 5-Fu 750 mg/m ² d1-5 and Nimotuzumab 200 mg/m ² /w.

Results: The patients completed chemotherapy 2–4 cycles, mean 2.2 cycles; Nimotuzumab were used 2–8 times, mean 4.3 times. The prognosis was as follows: CR 4 cases, PR 39 cases, SD 18 cases, PD 3 cases and 7 cases cannot be evaluated. The total effective rate which was calculated by PR plus CR was 61%. Twenty-nine cases of them received surgery after bio-chemotherapy. No serious adverse reaction was found during the course of the treatment, only one case with slight erythra.

Conclusion: Nimotuzumab was equally effective in the increase of chemosensitivity and good tolerability profiles.

Conflict of interest: None declared.