methotrexate + erlotinib + celecoxib

This triple oral metronomic chemotherapy (TOMC) regimen is an investigational combination therapy being evaluated by the Mayo Clinic for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic oral cavity cancer. The regimen consists of three distinct oral medications: methotrexate, an antimetabolite that inhibits dihydrofolate reductase to disrupt DNA synthesis; erlotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to halt tumor cell proliferation; and celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor that modulates inflammatory pathways and potentially inhibits tumor growth. The treatment is administered using a metronomic approach, which involves frequent, low-dose delivery of the drugs to maintain continuous therapeutic pressure on the tumor while minimizing the side effects typically associated with high-dose bolus chemotherapy. This decentralized study specifically targets rural populations in the Midwest United States to improve access to specialized cancer care.

Other names

Triple Oral Metronomic ChemotherapyTOMCMethotrexate/Erlotinib/Celecoxib regimen