Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review

BackgroundHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a group of heterogeneous malignancies and constitutes one of the most prevalent forms of cancer. Oral metronomic chemotherapy (OMCT) is a treatment in which low doses of anticancer drugs are given at regular intervals over a long time, with...

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Main Authors: Aardra Binithadas Segin Chandran, Deepak Pandiar, Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan, Divya Gopinath
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Oral Health
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1632316/full
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author Aardra Binithadas Segin Chandran
Deepak Pandiar
Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan
Divya Gopinath
Divya Gopinath
author_facet Aardra Binithadas Segin Chandran
Deepak Pandiar
Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan
Divya Gopinath
Divya Gopinath
author_sort Aardra Binithadas Segin Chandran
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a group of heterogeneous malignancies and constitutes one of the most prevalent forms of cancer. Oral metronomic chemotherapy (OMCT) is a treatment in which low doses of anticancer drugs are given at regular intervals over a long time, with many advantages over conventional therapies, particularly in nations with high cancer burden. The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of OMCT in the management of HNSCC in comparison to other standard chemotherapy regimens. Methodology: The review was registered in the Prospero database (CRD42023426000). An electronic search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases. Articles in which OMCT was used to treat HNSCC were included for systematic review, and the survival and response rates were analyzed.ResultsTwenty-four eligible articles were included for evaluation, which revealed that administration of OMCT produced higher survival and response rates in subjects compared to standard chemotherapy.ConclusionThe evidence from the included studies supports that oral metronomic chemotherapy is substantially more effective as compared to standard chemotherapy regimens in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023426000, identifier (CRD42023426000).
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spelling doaj-art-72d0051979664d0fa40e83539c6c26f12025-08-20T03:09:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oral Health2673-48422025-07-01610.3389/froh.2025.16323161632316Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic reviewAardra Binithadas Segin Chandran0Deepak Pandiar1Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan2Divya Gopinath3Divya Gopinath4Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IndiaDepartment of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IndiaDepartment of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IndiaCollege of Dentistry, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab EmiratesCentre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab EmiratesBackgroundHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a group of heterogeneous malignancies and constitutes one of the most prevalent forms of cancer. Oral metronomic chemotherapy (OMCT) is a treatment in which low doses of anticancer drugs are given at regular intervals over a long time, with many advantages over conventional therapies, particularly in nations with high cancer burden. The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of OMCT in the management of HNSCC in comparison to other standard chemotherapy regimens. Methodology: The review was registered in the Prospero database (CRD42023426000). An electronic search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases. Articles in which OMCT was used to treat HNSCC were included for systematic review, and the survival and response rates were analyzed.ResultsTwenty-four eligible articles were included for evaluation, which revealed that administration of OMCT produced higher survival and response rates in subjects compared to standard chemotherapy.ConclusionThe evidence from the included studies supports that oral metronomic chemotherapy is substantially more effective as compared to standard chemotherapy regimens in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023426000, identifier (CRD42023426000).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1632316/fulloral metronomic chemotherapyhead and neck squamous cell carcinomasurvival rateangiogenesisOSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma)
spellingShingle Aardra Binithadas Segin Chandran
Deepak Pandiar
Reshma Poothakulath Krishnan
Divya Gopinath
Divya Gopinath
Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review
Frontiers in Oral Health
oral metronomic chemotherapy
head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
survival rate
angiogenesis
OSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma)
title Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review
title_full Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review
title_fullStr Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review
title_full_unstemmed Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review
title_short Efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma—a systematic review
title_sort efficacy of oral metronomic chemotherapy in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma a systematic review
topic oral metronomic chemotherapy
head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
survival rate
angiogenesis
OSCC (oral squamous cell carcinoma)
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/froh.2025.1632316/full
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