HEAD & NECK CANCERS

Findings from the MC1273 and MC1675 trials show that de-escalated adjuvant radiation therapy met criteria for efficacy in human papillomavirus–related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Regarding cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, what is most exciting is the remarkable complete response rate, up to almost 50%, according Jiaxin Niu, MD.

New data show that de-escalated radiotherapy dose to 54 Gy vs 70 Gy may achieve better measures of toxicity in patients with p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Findings from the phase 1/2 IPH2201-203 trial support the statement that monalizumab, cetuximab, and durvalumab show promising activity in patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

According to Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, there is a steady pace of drug development for head and neck cancers despite modest findings with durvalumab triplet.

Dosing of nanatinostat and valganciclovira in a phase1b/2 clinical trial has been initiated.

A phase 2 study is preparing to enroll patients with Epstein-Barr virus-positive advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, who will be treated with an investigational EBNA1 inhibitor.

Phase 1b data indicate that pembrolizumab in combination with pepinemab is safe for the frontline treatment of advanced, recurrent, or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Results from the phase 3 JUPITER-02 trial show that oncologists can extend progression-free survival in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma by adding toripalimab to chemotherapy.

In a phase 3 clinical trial, avasopasem appeared to lower the rate of severe oral mucositis in patients.

The novel checkpoint inhibitor, evorpacept induced responses in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cancer when used in combination with anticancer therapy and chemotherapy in a phase 1b study.

The biologics license application for toripalimab will undergo a speedy review by the FDA for consideration as a frontline treatment option for patients with advanced recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin, and as a single-agent for the second-line or above treatment of recurrent or metastatic disease after platinum-containing chemotherapy.

Joseph M. Curry, MD, discussed the efficacy of durvalumab in combination with metformin for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck during an interview with Targeted Oncology.

NBTXR3, which is activated by radiotherapy, was found to be safe and tolerable in frail patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The agent can be used on its own or in combination with other immunotherapy agents.

The primary end point of the ROMAN trial was not reached after avasopasem was found to not significantly reduce the incidence of severe oral mucositis. A full analysis of the results is ongoing.

In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Marshall Posner, MD, discusses the use of the HB-201 and HB-202 vaccines in patients with human papillomavirus 16- positive cancers.

Treatment with larotrectinib in patients with various subtypes of salivary gland tumors led to a high rate early and durable responses.

Responses achieved with immunotherapy preoperatively with could lead to lasting benefit in patients with HOV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The emergence of early-phase immune-oncology agents and their respective novel mechanisms of action in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma suggests a new standard of care in the metastatic first-line setting within the next 2 years.

Preliminary research suggests that lopofosine I-131 in combination with external beam radiation is safe and tolerable in patients with relapsed or refractory head and neck cancer.

Among patients with malignant pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, treatment with sunitinib demonstrated improved efficacy.

Enrollment has been completed in the VERSATILE-002 trial, a phase 2 study of PDS0101 for the treatment of advanced human papillomavirus-associated head and neck cancer that has returned or spread.

The first patient with a locally advanced or metastatic solid tumor has been dosed with buparlisib in combination with A0025 with or without atezolizumab in a phase 1a clinical trial.

A biologics license application has been submitted to the FDA seeking approval for toripalimab in combination with 2 chemotherapy agents to treat metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the front-line setting and single-agent toripalimab to treat patients in the second-line setting.

Camrelizumab when used in combination with gemcitabine, and cisplatin has shown potential as a new standard of care for the frontline treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to toripalimab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin for the first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Progression-free survival was significantly prolonged with cabozantinib as treatment of patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer in the phase 3 COSMIC-311 clinical trial, showing potential as a new treatment option and leading to the filing of a application for FDA approval.

Improved survival outcomes were reported with the addition of nivolumab to either ipilimumab or chemo-therapy vs chemotherapy alone in the frontline treatment of patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The 2021 American Thyroid Association Guidelines for Management of Patients with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer expand on discussions about treatment goals and palliative care.

The potential benefit of avelumab in the subgroup of patients with high PD-L1 expression in JAVELIN HEAD AND NECK 100 provides a basis for further investigation and suggests a potential role for immune checkpoint inhibitors for locally advanced HNSCC.