Immunotherapy for head and neck cancer: Present and future

Fasano, Morena; Corte, Carminia Maria Della; Liello, Raimondo Di; Viscardi, Giuseppe; Sparano, Francesca; Iacovino, Maria Lucia; Paragliola, Fernando; Piccolo, Antonio; Napolitano, Stefania; Martini, Giulia; Morgillo, Floriana; Cappabianca, Salvatore

doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103679

Cited by 56 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 101 publications

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“…According to current evidence, including PD-L1 expression on tumor infiltrating immune cells and not only on tumor cells increases the predictive value. In fact, CPS offers a more effective tumor evaluation than the tumor proportion score, which measures PD-L1 expression on tumor cells alone [ 37 ]. From a clinical viewpoint, a higher CPS has been regarded as a relevant predictive marker for targeted therapy, being associated with an enhanced response to PD-L1 inhibitors [ 16 , 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tumor-Stroma Ratio and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Expression in Preoperative Biopsy and Matched Laryngeal Carcinoma Surgical Specimen

Alessandrini

Franz

Sbaraglia

et al. 2022

IJMS

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Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) seems to rely on close relations between neoplastic and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Tumor to stroma ratio (TSR) has been associated with prognosis in different malignancies. The aims of this exploratory investigation were to analyze for the first time the: (i) association between TSR, PD-L1 expression and other clinical–pathological features in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) biopsies and paired surgical specimens; (ii) prognostic and predictive role of TSR and PD-L1. TSR, PD-L1 expression (in terms of combined positive score [CPS]), and other clinical–pathological features were analyzed in biopsies and surgical specimens of 43 consecutive LSCC cases. A CPS < 1 evaluated on surgical specimens was associated with a low TSR (stroma rich) on both biopsies and surgical specimens (p = 0.0143 and p = 0.0063). Low TSR showed a significant negative prognostic value when evaluated on both biopsies and surgical specimens (HR = 8.808, p = 0.0003 and HR = 11.207, p = 0.0002). CPS ≥ 1 appeared to be a favorable prognostic factor (HR = 0.100, p = 0.0265). The association between bioptic and surgical specimen TSR and PD-L1 expression should be further investigated for a potential impact on targeted treatments, also with regard to immunotherapeutic protocols.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tumor-Stroma Ratio and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Expression in Preoperative Biopsy and Matched Laryngeal Carcinoma Surgical Specimen

Alessandrini

Franz

Sbaraglia

et al. 2022

IJMS

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“…The recent developments in immunotherapy for advanced and metastatic HNSCC [ 6 ] provide a novel therapeutic window to test the efficacy of immuno-radiotherapy (immuno-RT) in an attempt to stimulate immunogenic cancer cell death in parallel with the radiogenic tumor damage. In fact, radiation-induced damage to cancer cells enhances their recognition by cytotoxic T-cells and macrophages through activation of the interferon type I and other pathways, a phenomenon known as ‘radio-vaccination’ [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prognostic and Predictive Relevance of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Squamous Cell Head–Neck Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Radiotherapy/Chemo-Radiotherapy

et al. 2022

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Microenvironmental conditions control the entrance and thriving of cytotoxic lymphocytes in tumors, allowing or preventing immune-mediated cancer cell death. We investigated the role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density in the outcome of radiotherapy in a series of squamous cell head–neck tumors (HNSCC). Moreover, we assessed the link between markers of hypoxia and TIL density. One-hundred twenty-one patients with HNSCC treated prospectively with radical radiotherapy/chemo-radiotherapy were analyzed. The assessment of TIL density was performed on hematoxylin and eosin biopsy sections before radiotherapy. TIL density ranged from 0.8 to 150 lymphocytes per ×40 optical field (median 27.5). Using the median value, patients were grouped into two categories of low and high TIL density. Early T-stage tumors had a significantly higher TIL density (p < 0.003), but we found no association with N-stage. Overexpression of HIF1α, HIF2α, and CA9 was significantly linked with poor infiltration by TILs (p < 0.03). A significant association of high TIL density with better disease-specific overall survival and improved locoregional relapse-free survival was noted (p = 0.008 and 0.02, respectively), which was also confirmed in multivariate analysis. It is concluded that HNSCC phenotypes that allow for the intratumoral accumulation of lymphocytes have a better outcome following radical radiotherapy/chemo-radiotherapy. Intratumoral-activated HIF- and CA9-related pathways characterize immunologically cold tumors and may be used as targets for therapeutic interventions.

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“…Nevertheless, patient outcomes were improved by using immune checkpoint inhibitors when compared with the standard therapies. The CheckMate 141 trial reported a doubling of the 1-year overall survival of patients that received nivolumab (36%) compared with conventional chemotherapy (17%), and a nearly tripling of the 2-year overall survival rate (17% versus 6%) [ 97 , 101 , 102 ].…”

Section: Therapeutic Advances In Hncmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Patients receiving nivolumab also reported fewer adverse effects of grade 3 and 4 (13.1%), indicating less toxicity than what is seen with conventional chemotherapy regimens (35.1%) [ 102 , 103 ]. The KEYNOTE-048 trial, that resulted in pembrolizumab’s approval for the treatment of recurrent/metastatic HNSCC, also reported, very importantly, that patients treated with this immune checkpoint inhibitor presented not only improved overall response to treatment and overall survival, but longer-lasting responses.…”

Section: Therapeutic Advances In Hncmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The KEYNOTE-048 trial, that resulted in pembrolizumab’s approval for the treatment of recurrent/metastatic HNSCC, also reported, very importantly, that patients treated with this immune checkpoint inhibitor presented not only improved overall response to treatment and overall survival, but longer-lasting responses. A total of 85% of tumour responses to treatment lasted at least 6 months, and 71% of responses lasted a year or more [ 102 ]. Information drawn from clinical trials using immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat other metastatic malignancies (i.e., melanoma) indicate that some patients continue to benefit from these drugs long after treatment discontinuation, with tumours presenting long-term responses to treatment [ 104 ].…”

Section: Therapeutic Advances In Hncmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Current Insights and Progress in the Clinical Management of Head and Neck Cancer

Amaral

Faísca

Ferreira

et al. 2022

Cancers

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Head and neck cancer (HNC), also known as the cancer that can affect the structures between the dura mater and the pleura, is the 6th most common type of cancer. This heterogeneous group of malignancies is usually treated with a combination of surgery and radio- and chemotherapy, depending on if the disease is localized or at an advanced stage. However, most HNC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in the death of half of these patients. Thus, the prognosis of advanced or recurrent/metastatic HNC, especially HNC squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), is notably poorer than the prognosis of patients diagnosed with localized HNC. This review explores the epidemiology and etiologic factors of HNC, the histopathology of this heterogeneous cancer, and the diagnosis methods and treatment approaches currently available. Moreover, special interest is given to the novel therapies used to treat HNC subtypes with worse prognosis, exploring immunotherapies and targeted/multi-targeted drugs undergoing clinical trials, as well as light-based therapies (i.e., photodynamic and photothermal therapies).

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Immunotherapy for head and neck cancer: Present and future

Cited by 56 publications

References 101 publications

Tumor-Stroma Ratio and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Expression in Preoperative Biopsy and Matched Laryngeal Carcinoma Surgical Specimen

Tumor-Stroma Ratio and Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Expression in Preoperative Biopsy and Matched Laryngeal Carcinoma Surgical Specimen

Prognostic and Predictive Relevance of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Squamous Cell Head–Neck Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Radiotherapy/Chemo-Radiotherapy

Current Insights and Progress in the Clinical Management of Head and Neck Cancer

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