Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology (Dec 2018)

Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

  • Nerina Denaro,
  • Marco Carlo Merlano

DOI
https://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2018.00150
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 4
pp. 217 – 223

Abstract

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Prognosis in relapsed metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer (RM-HNSCC) is dismal. Platinum based chemotherapy in combination with Cetuximab is used in first-line setting, while no further validated options are available at progression. Immunotherapy has produced durable clinical benefit in some patients with RM-HNSCC although the premises are several patients are nonresponders. Studies are ongoing to determine predictive factors and the ideal setting/combination of novel immunotherapies. In this paper, we discuss the past and present of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer and provide an up-to-date information regarding the potential ways to improve immunotherapy outcomes in HNSCC.

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