Innovations in Immunotherapy: A Comprehensive Review of Current Landscape and Future Directions in Head and Neck Cancer
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Mordi,V.
Contact
Check for full-text access
Issue Date
2025
Type
Article
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The prospect of immunotherapy revolutionising the management of head and neck cancer (HNC) is a pertinent research question explored by an influx of emerging clinical trials. Immunotherapy is a novel treatment approach that induces anti-cancer immunity by preventing cancer cells from evading immune surveillance. It restores the natural anti-cancer properties of the immune system. Application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have yielded significant success in the management of HNC. ICI are monoclonal antibodies that block inhibitory signalling pathways to promote cancer regression. Established targets of ICI are programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) which are inhibitory regulators of the immune system. Cancer cells over-express PD-L1 (ligand) which binds to PD-1 causing cancer evasion. Additionally, CTLA-4 expressed on T-cells bind to B7 ligand on antigen-presenting cells also leading to inhibition. ICI work as antagonists of these immune modulators strengthening the immune system's response to cancer. ICI have been approved for first and second-line management of in-operable recurrent and metastatic (R/M) disease due to breakthrough clinical trials. However, it is clear there may be untapped synergistic potential of different ICI combinations and immunotherapy paired with traditional treatment modalities or other targeted therapies. Exploration of the next generation of ICIs beyond PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 is also another promising avenue of research. Is there a place for integration of immunotherapy into the multimodal management paradigm of curative disease? This literature review aims to explore advances in immunotherapy and interpret outcomes of new clinical trials to answer this question. Copyright © 2025, The Authors. All rights reserved.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
Journal
SSRN