Gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin (GEMOX) combined with cetuximab in patients with progressive advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma: results of a multicenter phase 2 study.

Background: The authors conducted a phase 2 trial of the antiepidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody cetuximab in combination with the gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin (GEMOX) regimen in patients with documented progressive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Forty-five untreated patients with advanced-stage progressive HCC were prospectively enrolled. Treatment consisted of cetuximab at a dose of 400 mg/m2 initially then 250 mg/m2 weekly, plus gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 on Day 1 and oxaliplatin at a dose of 100 mg/m2 on Day 2, every 2 weeks.