Experts Video Reports: Head and Neck Cancer track

Reporting from the ESMO Congress 2021, Paolo Bossi provides an overview of important results related to the potential benefits of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer. First he discusses the results of the GORTEC-REACH trial in locally advanced SCCHN testing avelumab-cetuximab-radiotherapy, and the KEYNOTE-122 study in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma testing pembrolizumab.
He then explains the results of a retrospective analysis designed to identify the genomic profile determining the best response to immunotherapy. Among possible reasons for unconclusive results is the need for patients selection based on biomarkers. He also suggests a possible role of maintenance immunotherapy after radiotherapy.

Dr. Marco Merlano comments on the findings from the KEYNOTE-048 trial and an academic trial comparing bio-radiotherapy with chemo-radiotherapy in oropharyngeal cancer presented at ESMO 2018 Congress.

Irene Brana reports from ASCO 2018 on results from three combination trials presented in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Marco Merlano explains that head and neck cancer remains an interesting field of investigation for immunotherapy because these tumours have high mutational burden. Among all of the studies presented in Madrid, two results deserve more attention.