Neoadjuvant chemo-free combination of camrelizumab and apatinib for locally advanced resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma – A pilot study

Abstract

Novel neoadjuvant therapy regimens are needed to improve the outcomes of patients with locally advanced resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We conducted a prospective, open-label, single-arm trial (n = 21, NCT04393506) to determine the safety and feasibility of neoadjuvant camrelizumab (an anti-PD-1 antibody) plus apatinib (a VEGFR inhibitor) for locally advanced resectable OSCC. The primary endpoints were safety and major pathological response (MPR). Neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus apatinib was well-tolerated and the MPR rate was 40% (8/20), meeting the primary endpoint. All five patients with CPS ˃ 10 had MPR. Additionally, patients achieving MPR showed more CD4+ T cell infiltration and a higher CD8+/FoxP3+ ratio than those without MPR (p < 0.05), and decreased CD31 and ɑ-SMA expression were observed after neoadjuvant therapy. Our findings demonstrate that neoadjuvant therapy with a chemo-free combination of camrelizumab and apatinib is safe and yields a promising MPR rate, supporting further trials.