dlvr.it
Immunotherapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A review
The standard of care (SoC) for locally-advanced (LA) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has remained relatively unchanged for decades, usually consisting of multimodal treatment that can include surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy. Survival rates are low, so there is a key unmet need to improve clinical outcomes. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) agents, redefined the SoC for recurrent/metastatic HNSCC, and based on recent positive outcomes in Phase III studies, the SoC for resectable LA-HNSCC has evolved to include ICI-based therapy; however, key challenges remain.