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Refractory Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

MedGen UID:
1655619
•Concept ID:
C4724853
•
Neoplastic Process
Synonym: Refractory Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Definition

A head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that does not respond to treatment. [from NCI]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Camrelizumab and metronomic capecitabine for patients with treatment-refractory solid tumors (McCREST trial).
Zhou C, Shangguan C, Shi M, Xi W, Wu J, Yang H, Guo L, Cai Q, Shi Y, Liu J, Zhang J
Future Oncol 2022 Jul;18(23):2495-2503. Epub 2022 Jun 15 doi: 10.2217/fon-2021-1579. PMID: 35703115
Nivolumab vs Pembrolizumab for Treatment of US Patients With Platinum-Refractory Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Network Meta-analysis and Cost-effectiveness Analysis.
Pei R, Shi Y, Lv S, Dai T, Zhang F, Liu S, Wu B
JAMA Netw Open 2021 May 3;4(5):e218065. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.8065. PMID: 33956130Free PMC Article
Clinical immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of head and neck cancer.
Kareemaghay S, Tavassoli M
Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019 Apr;48(4):419-436. Epub 2018 Nov 3 doi: 10.1016/j.ijom.2018.10.012. PMID: 30401512

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

B-cell infiltration is associated with survival outcomes following programmed cell death protein 1 inhibition in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Gavrielatou N, Fortis E, Spathis A, Anastasiou M, Economopoulou P, Foukas GRP, Lelegiannis IM, Rusakiewicz S, Vathiotis I, Aung TN, Tissot S, Kastrinou A, Kotsantis I, Vagia EM, Panayiotides I, Rimm DL, Coukos G, Homicsko K, Foukas P, Psyrri A
Ann Oncol 2024 Apr;35(4):340-350. Epub 2023 Dec 28 doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.12.011. PMID: 38159908
Immunotherapy and Biomarker Testing in Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancers: ASCO Guideline.
Yilmaz E, Ismaila N, Bauman JE, Dabney R, Gan G, Jordan R, Kaufman M, Kirtane K, McBride SM, Old MO, Rooper L, Saba NF, Sheth S, Subramaniam RM, Wise-Draper TM, Wong D, Mell LK
J Clin Oncol 2023 Feb 10;41(5):1132-1146. Epub 2022 Dec 15 doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.02328. PMID: 36521102
Immunotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Yokota T, Homma A, Kiyota N, Tahara M, Hanai N, Asakage T, Matsuura K, Ogawa T, Saito Y, Sano D, Kodaira T, Motegi A, Yasuda K, Takahashi S, Tanaka K, Onoe T, Okano S, Imamura Y, Ariizumi Y, Hayashi R; Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) Head and Neck Cancer Study Group
Jpn J Clin Oncol 2020 Sep 28;50(10):1089-1096. doi: 10.1093/jjco/hyaa139. PMID: 32776100
Nivolumab for Recurrent Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.
Ferris RL, Blumenschein G Jr, Fayette J, Guigay J, Colevas AD, Licitra L, Harrington K, Kasper S, Vokes EE, Even C, Worden F, Saba NF, Iglesias Docampo LC, Haddad R, Rordorf T, Kiyota N, Tahara M, Monga M, Lynch M, Geese WJ, Kopit J, Shaw JW, Gillison ML
N Engl J Med 2016 Nov 10;375(19):1856-1867. Epub 2016 Oct 8 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1602252. PMID: 27718784Free PMC Article
Nivolumab Doubles Survival for Patients with HNSCC.
Cancer Discov 2016 Jul;6(7):OF3. Epub 2016 May 23 doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-NB2016-049. PMID: 27217382

Diagnosis

Nivolumab for Platinum-refractory and -sensitive Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Okada T, Matsuki T, Fushimi C, Okamoto I, Sato H, Kondo T, Tokashiki K, Ito T, Masubuchi T, Tada Y, Miura K, Hanyu K, Omura GO, Takahashi H, Yamashita T, Oridate N, Tsukahara K
Anticancer Res 2022 Oct;42(10):4907-4912. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15996. PMID: 36192003
PD-L2 glycosylation promotes immune evasion and predicts anti-EGFR efficacy.
Xu Y, Gao Z, Hu R, Wang Y, Wang Y, Su Z, Zhang X, Yang J, Mei M, Ren Y, Li M, Zhou X
J Immunother Cancer 2021 Oct;9(10) doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002699. PMID: 34697216Free PMC Article
Nivolumab vs Pembrolizumab for Treatment of US Patients With Platinum-Refractory Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Network Meta-analysis and Cost-effectiveness Analysis.
Pei R, Shi Y, Lv S, Dai T, Zhang F, Liu S, Wu B
JAMA Netw Open 2021 May 3;4(5):e218065. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.8065. PMID: 33956130Free PMC Article
Immunotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Yokota T, Homma A, Kiyota N, Tahara M, Hanai N, Asakage T, Matsuura K, Ogawa T, Saito Y, Sano D, Kodaira T, Motegi A, Yasuda K, Takahashi S, Tanaka K, Onoe T, Okano S, Imamura Y, Ariizumi Y, Hayashi R; Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) Head and Neck Cancer Study Group
Jpn J Clin Oncol 2020 Sep 28;50(10):1089-1096. doi: 10.1093/jjco/hyaa139. PMID: 32776100
Cetuximab in metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer: the EXTREME trial.
Rivera F, García-Castaño A, Vega N, Vega-Villegas ME, Gutiérrez-Sanz L
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2009 Oct;9(10):1421-8. doi: 10.1586/era.09.113. PMID: 19828002

Therapy

Immunotherapy and Biomarker Testing in Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancers: ASCO Guideline.
Yilmaz E, Ismaila N, Bauman JE, Dabney R, Gan G, Jordan R, Kaufman M, Kirtane K, McBride SM, Old MO, Rooper L, Saba NF, Sheth S, Subramaniam RM, Wise-Draper TM, Wong D, Mell LK
J Clin Oncol 2023 Feb 10;41(5):1132-1146. Epub 2022 Dec 15 doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.02328. PMID: 36521102
Nivolumab vs Pembrolizumab for Treatment of US Patients With Platinum-Refractory Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Network Meta-analysis and Cost-effectiveness Analysis.
Pei R, Shi Y, Lv S, Dai T, Zhang F, Liu S, Wu B
JAMA Netw Open 2021 May 3;4(5):e218065. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.8065. PMID: 33956130Free PMC Article
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer consensus statement on immunotherapy for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC).
Cohen EEW, Bell RB, Bifulco CB, Burtness B, Gillison ML, Harrington KJ, Le QT, Lee NY, Leidner R, Lewis RL, Licitra L, Mehanna H, Mell LK, Raben A, Sikora AG, Uppaluri R, Whitworth F, Zandberg DP, Ferris RL
J Immunother Cancer 2019 Jul 15;7(1):184. doi: 10.1186/s40425-019-0662-5. PMID: 31307547Free PMC Article
Nivolumab for Recurrent Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.
Ferris RL, Blumenschein G Jr, Fayette J, Guigay J, Colevas AD, Licitra L, Harrington K, Kasper S, Vokes EE, Even C, Worden F, Saba NF, Iglesias Docampo LC, Haddad R, Rordorf T, Kiyota N, Tahara M, Monga M, Lynch M, Geese WJ, Kopit J, Shaw JW, Gillison ML
N Engl J Med 2016 Nov 10;375(19):1856-1867. Epub 2016 Oct 8 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1602252. PMID: 27718784Free PMC Article
Cetuximab in metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer: the EXTREME trial.
Rivera F, García-Castaño A, Vega N, Vega-Villegas ME, Gutiérrez-Sanz L
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2009 Oct;9(10):1421-8. doi: 10.1586/era.09.113. PMID: 19828002

Prognosis

B-cell infiltration is associated with survival outcomes following programmed cell death protein 1 inhibition in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Gavrielatou N, Fortis E, Spathis A, Anastasiou M, Economopoulou P, Foukas GRP, Lelegiannis IM, Rusakiewicz S, Vathiotis I, Aung TN, Tissot S, Kastrinou A, Kotsantis I, Vagia EM, Panayiotides I, Rimm DL, Coukos G, Homicsko K, Foukas P, Psyrri A
Ann Oncol 2024 Apr;35(4):340-350. Epub 2023 Dec 28 doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.12.011. PMID: 38159908
PD-L2 glycosylation promotes immune evasion and predicts anti-EGFR efficacy.
Xu Y, Gao Z, Hu R, Wang Y, Wang Y, Su Z, Zhang X, Yang J, Mei M, Ren Y, Li M, Zhou X
J Immunother Cancer 2021 Oct;9(10) doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002699. PMID: 34697216Free PMC Article
Nivolumab for Recurrent Squamous-Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck.
Ferris RL, Blumenschein G Jr, Fayette J, Guigay J, Colevas AD, Licitra L, Harrington K, Kasper S, Vokes EE, Even C, Worden F, Saba NF, Iglesias Docampo LC, Haddad R, Rordorf T, Kiyota N, Tahara M, Monga M, Lynch M, Geese WJ, Kopit J, Shaw JW, Gillison ML
N Engl J Med 2016 Nov 10;375(19):1856-1867. Epub 2016 Oct 8 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1602252. PMID: 27718784Free PMC Article
Nivolumab Doubles Survival for Patients with HNSCC.
Cancer Discov 2016 Jul;6(7):OF3. Epub 2016 May 23 doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-NB2016-049. PMID: 27217382
Cetuximab in metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer: the EXTREME trial.
Rivera F, García-Castaño A, Vega N, Vega-Villegas ME, Gutiérrez-Sanz L
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2009 Oct;9(10):1421-8. doi: 10.1586/era.09.113. PMID: 19828002

Clinical prediction guides

Immunotherapy and Biomarker Testing in Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancers: ASCO Guideline.
Yilmaz E, Ismaila N, Bauman JE, Dabney R, Gan G, Jordan R, Kaufman M, Kirtane K, McBride SM, Old MO, Rooper L, Saba NF, Sheth S, Subramaniam RM, Wise-Draper TM, Wong D, Mell LK
J Clin Oncol 2023 Feb 10;41(5):1132-1146. Epub 2022 Dec 15 doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.02328. PMID: 36521102
PD-L2 glycosylation promotes immune evasion and predicts anti-EGFR efficacy.
Xu Y, Gao Z, Hu R, Wang Y, Wang Y, Su Z, Zhang X, Yang J, Mei M, Ren Y, Li M, Zhou X
J Immunother Cancer 2021 Oct;9(10) doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002699. PMID: 34697216Free PMC Article
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer consensus statement on immunotherapy for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC).
Cohen EEW, Bell RB, Bifulco CB, Burtness B, Gillison ML, Harrington KJ, Le QT, Lee NY, Leidner R, Lewis RL, Licitra L, Mehanna H, Mell LK, Raben A, Sikora AG, Uppaluri R, Whitworth F, Zandberg DP, Ferris RL
J Immunother Cancer 2019 Jul 15;7(1):184. doi: 10.1186/s40425-019-0662-5. PMID: 31307547Free PMC Article
Nivolumab vs investigator's choice in recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: 2-year long-term survival update of CheckMate 141 with analyses by tumor PD-L1 expression.
Ferris RL, Blumenschein G Jr, Fayette J, Guigay J, Colevas AD, Licitra L, Harrington KJ, Kasper S, Vokes EE, Even C, Worden F, Saba NF, Docampo LCI, Haddad R, Rordorf T, Kiyota N, Tahara M, Lynch M, Jayaprakash V, Li L, Gillison ML
Oral Oncol 2018 Jun;81:45-51. Epub 2018 Apr 17 doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2018.04.008. PMID: 29884413Free PMC Article
Cetuximab in metastatic or recurrent head and neck cancer: the EXTREME trial.
Rivera F, García-Castaño A, Vega N, Vega-Villegas ME, Gutiérrez-Sanz L
Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2009 Oct;9(10):1421-8. doi: 10.1586/era.09.113. PMID: 19828002

Recent systematic reviews

A systematic review of antibody-drug conjugates and bispecific antibodies in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Charting the course of future therapies.
Jiménez-Labaig P, Rullan A, Hernando-Calvo A, Llop S, Bhide S, O'Leary B, Braña I, Harrington KJ
Cancer Treat Rev 2024 Jul;128:102772. Epub 2024 May 26 doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102772. PMID: 38820656
Anti-PD1/PD-L1 monotherapy vs standard of care in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Zhu P, Wang Y, Zhang W, Liu X
Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 Jan 29;100(4):e24339. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000024339. PMID: 33530227Free PMC Article
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy for recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer: a systematic review.
Guidi A, Codecà C, Ferrari D
Med Oncol 2018 Feb 13;35(3):37. doi: 10.1007/s12032-018-1096-5. PMID: 29441454
Current studies of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer.
Dogan V, Rieckmann T, Münscher A, Busch CJ
Clin Otolaryngol 2018 Feb;43(1):13-21. Epub 2017 May 29 doi: 10.1111/coa.12895. PMID: 28464441
Will targeted therapy hold its promise? An evidence-based review.
Murdoch D, Sager J
Curr Opin Oncol 2008 Jan;20(1):104-11. doi: 10.1097/CCO.0b013e3282f44b12. PMID: 18043264

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