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The value of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer |
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| Authors: | Paolo Manca Matthew Salzberg Jorge Sanchez Brian Hunis Christian Rolfo |
| Affiliation: | 1. Medical Oncology Department, Campus Bio-medico University, Rome, Italy;2. Memorial Cancer Institute/Florida International University, Hollywood, FL, USA;3. Departamento de Oncologia, Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, Lima, Peru;4. Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Abstract: | Introduction: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) previously had limited treatment options once patients had progressed on systemic chemotherapy. With recent advances, immunotherapy now plays an important role in the treatment of advanced disease with improved outcomes as compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Areas covered: This article reviews the effects of the immune system and how it influences the development and response to HNSCC therapy. We additionally provide a summary of immunotherapy treatments available as well as their applicable clinical trials that led to their approval. Expert Commentary: The challenges that need to be addressed in order to maximize the benefits of immunotherapy in HNSCC are the selection criteria for immune checkpoint inhibitors and the optimization of combination regimens of immunotherapeutics or chemo-immunotherapy. Furthermore, there remains to be a lack of knowledge in how to incorporate molecular biomarkers as predictors of response to HNSCC immunotherapy. |
| Keywords: | Head and neck cancer squamous cell cancer PD-1 PD-L1 HPV P16 Checkpoint inhibitors |