Head & Neck Cancers | Specialty

The OncLive Head and Neck Cancer condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on treatment for patients with head and neck cancer. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on unmet needs, treatment advances, and ongoing research within head and neck cancer.

Dr. Ferris on the CheckMate-041 Trial For Head and Neck Cancer

September 24th 2018

Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, vice chair for Clinical Operations, associate director for Translational Research, and co-leader of the Cancer Immunology Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute discusses the significance of the CheckMate-041 trial for patients with head and neck cancer.

Dr. Haigentz on the Impact of Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer

September 20th 2018

Missak Haigentz, MD, chief of Hematology and Oncology at Morristown Medical Center, medical director of Atlantic Hematology and Oncology for Atlantic Medical Group at the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, discusses the impact that immunotherapy has had on the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

Dr. Succaria on Targetable Immune Checkpoints in Head and Neck Cancer

September 6th 2018

Farah Succaria, MD, postdoctoral fellow, Johns Hopkins Medicine, discusses targetable immune checkpoints in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

FDA Grants LOXO-292 Breakthrough Designation for NSCLC, MTC

September 5th 2018

The FDA has granted LOXO-292 a breakthrough therapy designation for the treatment of patients with RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer or RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer.

Testing for RET Alterations Gains Traction Across Tumor Types

August 30th 2018

In recent years, tyrosine kinase inhibitors that specifically target RET have entered the pipeline. Although none have yet received FDA approval, the promise of these agents has spurred interest in diagnostic assays.

Drilon Discusses Promise of LOXO-292 in RET-Altered Solid Tumors

August 16th 2018

Alexander E. Drilon, MD, discusses the data with LOXO-292 thus far and the promise for this agent in patients with RET alterations.

RET Inhibitor Tested in Multiple Tumor Types

August 1st 2018

Investigators are evaluating the potential of LOXO-292, an oral small molecule inhibitor of RET signaling, to improve outcomes in patients with RET fusion–positive non–small cell lung cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, and other tumors.

Pembrolizumab Nears European Approval for HNSCC

July 31st 2018

The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended approval of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for the treatment of adult patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy and have a PD-L1 tumor proportion score ≥50%.

Frontline Pembrolizumab Improves Survival in HNSCC

July 25th 2018

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) significantly improved overall survival compared with the standard frontline regimen of cetuximab (Erbitux) plus platinum chemotherapy and 5-FU in patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC.

Dr. Katzel on Why Women With Head and Neck Cancer are Undertreated

July 19th 2018

Jed A. Katzel, MD, hematology, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, discusses why women with head and neck cancer are undertreated.

Palbociclib/Cetuximab Combo Highly Active in HPV-Unrelated HNSCC

July 10th 2018

The combination of the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib and cetuximab induced an overall response rate of 39% in patients with platinum-resistant, HPV-unrelated recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Dr. Topalian on the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment of Nasopharyngeal Cancer

June 28th 2018

Suzanne L. Topalian, MD, director, Melanoma Program, professor of Surgery and Oncology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, discusses the immunosuppressive microenvironment of nasopharyngeal cancer.

Dr. Katzel on Women Being Undertreated for Head and Neck Cancer

June 27th 2018

Jed Katzel, MD, Hematology, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center, discusses research presented at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting, which evaluated whether women are undertreated for head and neck cancer.

Dr. Hong on Advances in Head and Neck Cancer

June 25th 2018

Waun K. Hong, MD, FACP, DMSc, division head, American Cancer Society Professor, Samsung Distinguished University Chair in Cancer Medicine, Department of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and 2018 Giant of Cancer Care® in Head and Neck Cancer, discusses advances in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

Dr. Ferris Discusses Nivolumab in Head and Neck Cancer

June 21st 2018

Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, vice chair for Clinical Operations, associate director for Translational Research, and co-leader of the Cancer Immunology Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, discusses nivolumab (Opdivo) in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

Dr. Wirth on the Use of Lenvatinib in Hypertensive Patients With Thyroid Cancer

June 18th 2018

Lori J. Wirth, MD, associate professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School, medical director, Center for Head and Neck Cancers, Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses the use of lenvatinib in hypertensive patients with thyroid cancer.

Lenvatinib-Pembrolizumab Combo Has Promising Activity in Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer

June 3rd 2018

Lenvatinib added to pembrolizumab demonstrated promising activity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in an ongoing open-label phase Ib/II clinical trial.

LOXO-292 Shows Impressive Response Rates for RET-Positive Tumors

June 2nd 2018

The highly-selective RET inhibitor LOXO-292 demonstrated robust clinical activity across RET-altered solid tumors, including in patients with brain metastases and the RET V804M gatekeeper mutation.

Compared With Men, Women With Head and Neck Cancer Undertreated

June 1st 2018

Women with head and neck cancer may be severely undertreated and have higher death rates compared with their male counterparts.

Dr. Succaria on Combination Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer

May 25th 2018

Farah Succaria, MD, postdoctoral fellow, Johns Hopkins Medicine, discusses the potential for combination immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.