Current clinical immunotherapeutic approaches for head and neck cancer

It was estimated that 59,340 new cases of head and neck cancer would be diagnosed in the US alone in 2015 and that 12,290 deaths would be attributed to the disease. Local and regional recurrences may be treated with chemotherapy and radiation; however, metastatic head and neck cancer is fatal and is treated with chemotherapy for palliation. Recent successful treatment of a variety of solid and hematological malignancies by immunotherapeutic approaches (i.e. harnessing the body’s own immune system to combat disease) has added a fourth therapeutic option for the treatment of cancer. This commentary will review the status of immunotherapies in clinical development for the specific treatment of head and neck cancer.

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O114. Pre-clinical development of a bi-functional, cancer cell homing, PKCe inhibitory peptide for the treatment of head and neck cancer

Oral Oncology Supplement ◽

10.1016/j.oos.2009.06.199 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 94

Author(s):

L.W. Bao ◽

M.A. Gorin ◽

S.D. Merajver ◽

T.N. Teknos ◽

Q. Pan

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Clinical Development ◽

Inhibitory Peptide ◽

Cell Homing

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Head and neck tumour immunology: basic concepts and new clinical implications

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215108003368 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 123 (1) ◽

pp. 9-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

K P Topping ◽

L M Fletcher ◽

F O Agada ◽

O Alhamarneh ◽

N D Stafford ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Immune System ◽

Natural History ◽

Structure Function ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Tumour Immunology ◽

Neck Tumour ◽

Basic Concepts

AbstractAn understanding of the immune system and its modes of action is fundamental to understanding the causes, natural history, management and treatment of many diseases. As such, a grasp of the principles of immunology is essential for every physician.This paper represents a succinct overview of the immune system, discussing the major components in turn, in respect of structure, function and integrated organisation, in relation to head and neck cancer.

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Successful Treatment of Refractory Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab

Case Reports in Oncology ◽

10.1159/000485562 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 17-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Katjana S. Schwab ◽

Glenn Kristiansen ◽

Hans H. Schild ◽

Stefanie E.A. Held ◽

Annkristin Heine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Squamous Cell ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Cell Cancer ◽

Metastatic Malignant Melanoma ◽

Programmed Death ◽

The Us ◽

Platinum Refractory

Treatment options for patients with platinum-refractory, recurrent, metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are limited, and prognosis is poor. Nivolumab (Opdivo) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC who have disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy. Recently, in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma a significant improvement of outcome and response was achieved with the combination of ipilimumab (CTLA4 antibody) and the programmed death (PD)-1 inhibitor nivolumab compared with monotherapy. Based on these results, the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. So far, there have been no data concerning the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab in squamous cell head and neck cancer. We here present the case of a 46-year-old male with refractory squamous cell head and neck cancer, who was successfully treated with the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab in combination with the anti-CTLA4 antibody ipilimumab.

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Experience with cetuximab plus paclitaxel/carboplatinum in primary platinum-resistant recurrent head and neck cancer

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2007.25.18_suppl.6077 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽

pp. 6077-6077 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

J. Buentzel ◽

A. de Vries ◽

O. Micke

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Side Effects ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Egf Receptor ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Therapeutic Benefit ◽

Platinum Resistance ◽

Platinum Resistant ◽

Recurrent Head

6077 Background: In patients with platinum-resistant recurrent head and neck cancer the Anti-EGF-receptor antibody cetuximab could be used as a treatment option. Little is known about results of this therapeutic option. The objective of this study was to evaluate therapeutic benefit of this indication. Methods: 23 patients with histological confirmed recurrent head and neck cancer (18 male, 3 female, median age was 57 years) were included in this exploratory study. All recurrences had occurred after chemotherapy with platinum- derivates. 19 patients received radiation therapy during primary treatment. No surgical or radiotherapeutic option in recurrent disease was possible. Two patients were diagnosed with lung metastasis. The 2nd-line therapy consisted of carboplatinum (200 mg/m2) + paclitaxel (200 mg/m2) every three weeks (week 1, 4, and 7) and additionally cetuximab, which was given with 400 mg/m2 as loading dose in week 1 and 250 mg/m2 in week 2–6. Results: A significant tumor response was observed in 13/23 patients (56%). 7 partial, 5 minor and one complete remission were registered. The median survival time was 8 month (range 3–10), 4 patients are still alive. Median time to progression was 5 month (range 2–8). Side effects were rash (16/22), fever (9/22) and typical chemotherapy induced toxicities as neuropathy (7/22) and cytopenia (4/22). All side effects were moderate and easy to handle. Conclusions: The described combined chemoimmuntherapy with cetuximab and paclitaxel + carboplatinum seems to offer new strategies in 2nd and 3rd line chemotherapy for patients with platinum-resistant head and neck cancer, potentially overcoming primary platinum resistance. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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Targeting the immune system in head and neck cancer

Current Opinion in Oncology ◽

10.1097/cco.0000000000000189 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 157-158

Author(s):

Gilberto de Castro ◽

Pedro H. Isaacsson Velho

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Immune System ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer

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Survival and Prognostic Analysis after Pulmonary Metastasectomy for Head and Neck Cancer

The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1713112 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wojciech Dudek ◽

Emad AlMoussa ◽

Waldemar Schreiner ◽

Konstantinos Mantsopoulos ◽

Horia Sirbu

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Primary Tumor ◽

Lung Metastases ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Pulmonary Metastasectomy ◽

Continuous Variables ◽

Characteristic Analysis ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background There is no consensus on the value of pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) for head and neck cancer (HNC). The aim of our single-institution study was to evaluate outcomes and to examine factors influencing 5-year survival of patients undergoing resections for HNC lung metastases. Methods All HNC patients undergoing curative-intent PM between January 2008 and December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The impact of factors related to primary tumor, metastases, and associated therapy on patient survival was evaluated using the univariable Cox proportional hazard model. Cutoff values of continuous variables were determined by a receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results In total, 44 patients (32 males and 12 females, with a median age of 65 years) underwent PM for metastatic HNC. There was one perioperative death, and major complications occurred in 2 (4.5%) patients. The median interval between the treatment of primary tumor and PM was 19.4 months (range: 0–151 months). Median size of the largest resected pulmonary lesion was 1.3 cm (range: 0.3–6.9 cm). Mean follow-up was 21 months (range: 0–123 months), and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate after the first PM was 41%. Resection was complete (R0) in all patients. Larger size of pulmonary metastasis (≥1.4 cm; hazard ratio: 4.49; 95% confidence interval: 1.79–11.27) was a significantly negative prognostic factor. Conclusion Despite the lack of randomized controlled trials, PM for HNC is a reasonable therapeutic option with favorable survival in a selected population. In patients with larger pulmonary lesions, shorter OS after PM is to be expected.

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