Immunotherapy in head and neck cancer - scientific rationale, current treatment options and future directions.
Immunotherapy in head and neck cancer - scientific rationale, current treatment options and future directions.
Swiss Med Wkly. 2018 May 14;148:w14625
Authors: Rothschild U, Muller L, Lechner A, Schlösser HA, Beutner D, Läubli H, Zippelius A, Rothschild SI
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a frequent tumour arising from multiple anatomical subsites in the head and neck region. The treatment for early-stage disease is generally single modality, either surgery or radiotherapy. The treatment for locally advanced tumours is multimodal. For recurrent/metastatic HNSCC palliative chemotherapy is standard of care. The prognosis is limited and novel treatment approaches are urgently needed. HNSCC evades immune responses through multiple resistance mechanisms. HNSCC is particularly characterised by an immunosuppressive environment which includes the release of immunosuppressive factors, activation, expansion of immune cells with inhibitory activity and decreased tumour immunogenicity. An in-depth understanding of these mechanisms led to rational design of immunotherapeutic approaches and clinical trials. Currently, only immune checkpoint inhibitors, namely monoclonal antibodies targeting the immune inhibitory receptor programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1 have proven clinical efficacy in randomised phase III trials. The PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab is the only drug approved for platinum-refractory recurrent/m...
Source: Swiss Medical Weekly - Category: General Medicine Authors: Rothschild U, Muller L, Lechner A, Schlösser HA, Beutner D, Läubli H, Zippelius A, Rothschild SI Tags: Swiss Med Wkly Source Type: research
More News: Cancer | Cancer & Oncology | Carcinoma | Chemotherapy | Clinical Trials | Environmental Health | General Medicine | Head and Neck Cancer | HNSCC | Immunotherapy | Palliative | Skin Cancer | Squamous Cell Carcinoma | Switzerland Health