Axitinib in the Treatment of Head and Neck Malignancies

Head and neck cancers (thyroid and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)) are relatively common malignancies and although often curable at initial diagnosis, treatment of advanced disease is palliative in intent. There is a scarcity of treatment options, many of which are traditionally associated with significant toxicities and poor survival. Translational studies have identified numerous dysregulated pathways amongst head and neck cancers, including VEGFR and EGFR, highlighting the potential role for targeted therapies. This review details the role of VEGFR in both head and neck cancers and discusses recent trials utilizing axitinib, a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor with targets including VEGFR-1, -2, and -3. The article discusses the toxicity data as well as ongoing clinical trials.