UCLA researchers in the School of Medicine have developed a novel therapeutic strategy to improve prognosis of resectable head and neck cancer patients based on clinical studies.
BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive and recurrent cancer, ranked sixth among common epithelial malignancies worldwide. Over a third of patients, especially those with HPV-negative HNSCC, relapse despite intensive postoperative (adjuvant) chemoradiotherapy. With the advancement of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, such as nivolumab or pembrolizumab, physicians have improved the overall survival rate of patients with platinum-resistant recurrent and metastatic HNSCC, including oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). Despite improvements compared to chemotherapy, the one-year median survival rate of is around 40%. To intervene more effectively, more research is needed to understand the natural history of the disease and when tumors are more amenable to anti-PD-1 therapy.
INNOVATION: UCLA researchers conducted a clinical study to determine a molecular framework to advance the neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy for patients with resectable head-and-neck cancer. During this study, researchers have found that treatment of anti-PD-1 therapy before surgery reduced recurrence rate after surgery. This framework is supported by preclinical and clinical studies showing a robust T cell response in OCSCC patients. Anti-PD-1 therapy will be applied to OCSCC and other HNSCCs to reduce relapses, as the immune system around the tumor is intact during the pre-surgical stage. Early intervention and pre-surgical treatment will expand the current therapeutic market for HNSCC and more effectively harness the patient’s immune system to combat this aggressive disease.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS:
- Cancer immunotherapy framework for resectable HPV-negative HNSCC
- T cell signatures as biomarkers to predict treatment resistance
ADVANTAGES:
- Improved patient prognosis with reduced recurrence compared to post-surgery treatmen
- Increased innate immune system response of anti-PD-1 therapy
Keywords: Head and neck cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC), anti-PD-1, resectable tumors, immunotherapy