Immunotherapy for Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancers

Gözde KAVGACIa , Sercan AKSOYa
aHacettepe University Cancer Institute, Cilinic of Medical Oncology, Ankara, Türkiye

Kavgacı G, Aksoy S. Immunotherapy for recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancers. In: Şendur MAN, ed. Current Immunotherapy Landscape for Solid Tumors. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2024. p.24-30.

ABSTRACT
Head and neck cancers in Türkiye, which make up 3.5% of all new cases and contribute to over 2.3% of all cancer-related deaths, are prevalent and rank among the most frequent cancers. The majority of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, primarily caused by tobacco and alcohol use, with a subset associated with human papillomavirus infection. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, recurrent or metastatic disease develops in a majority of patients. The development of immune-checkpoint inhibitors has greatly influenced the treatment landscape, offering significant improvements in survival and disease control. While cetuximab plus chemotherapy may elicit responses in more patients, immunotherapy responders experience long-term benefits and improved overall survival. Immunotherapy has become the standard of care in the frontline and platinum failure settings for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer, with favorable outcomes and manageable side effects. Ongoing clinical trials aim to further understand the role of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer and personalize treatment approaches based on the tumor immune microenvironment, ultimately benefiting the majority of patients.

Keywords: Head and neck neoplasms; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; immunotherapy; immune checkpoint inhibitors

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