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.

Brose Discusses Lenvatinib's Lasting Impact in Treatment of Thyroid Cancer

July 11th 2016

Marcia S. Brose, MD, PhD, discusses the updated SELECT findings, how practitioners are treating patients with lenvatinib, how its use compares with sorafenib, and the challenges that still exist with both therapies for patients with thyroid cancer.

Potential Biomarkers Identified for Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer

July 8th 2016

PD-L2 and the IFN-γ 6-gene signature may offer options beyond PD-L1 to predict response to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Buparlisib Extends PFS in Head and Neck Cancer

July 7th 2016

Adding the pan-PI3K inhibitor buparlisib (BKM120) to chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 35% in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Dr. Churilla on Impact of Health Insurance Status on Patients With HNSCC

July 5th 2016

Thomas M. Churilla, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, discusses a study exploring the impact of health insurance status on the presentation, local management, and outcomes of patients with head and neck cancer.

KEYNOTE-012 Investigator Explains Promise of Pembrolizumab in HNSCC

June 29th 2016

Ranee Mehra, MD, discusses what the KEYNOTE-012 findings could mean for patients, the growing role for the immunotherapy agent in head and neck cancer, and what else is on the horizon for the treatment landscape.

The Impact of Lymphedema in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

June 28th 2016

Jan S. Lewin, PhD, professor, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the impact of lymphedema in patients with head and neck cancer.

Researchers Investigate Increased Incidence of Thyroid Cancer in California

June 28th 2016

To investigate the possibility of environmental impacts as a predisposition for thyroid cancer, researchers sought to identify counties in California with possible geographic clustering of advanced thyroid cancer cases.

Dr. Mehra on KEYNOTE-012 Results of Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer

June 22nd 2016

Ranee Mehra, MD, chief, Head and Neck Hematology/Oncology, associate professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, discusses the results of the KEYNOTE-012 study, which examined the efficacy of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Pembrolizumab Shows Robust Activity in Head and Neck Cancer

June 10th 2016

Pembrolizumab demonstrated an objective response rate of 18% in data from two clinical trials exploring the PD-1 inhibitor as a treatment for patients with pretreated recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Dr. Ferris on Significance of CheckMate-141 Trial for Head and Neck Cancer

June 7th 2016

Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, vice chair for Clinical Operations, associate director for Translational Research, and coleader of the Cancer Immunology Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, discusses the CheckMate-141 trial, which found that treatment with single-agent nivolumab (Opdivo) reduced the risk of death by 30% and doubled 1-year overall survival (OS) rates compared with investigator's choice of therapy for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCHN).

Nivolumab Improves OS, ORR in Phase III Head and Neck Cancer Study

June 7th 2016

Treatment with single-agent nivolumab improved overall survival and objective response rates compared with investigator's choice of therapy for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Dr. Pinheiro on Determinants of Cost in the Treatment of T1-T3 Oropharynx Cancer

May 27th 2016

A. Daniel Pinheiro, MD, physician, Otolaryngology, Mercy Clinic, discusses a study looking at the determinants of cost in the treatment of patients with T1 to T3 oropharynx cancer.

Novel Treatments, Effective Combinations Still Needed in Thyroid Cancer

May 26th 2016

Keith C. Bible, MD, PhD, discusses novel treatments he is excited about, the role of lenvatinib, and what the future may hold for thyroid cancer treatment.

Role of Cetuximab Expands in Head and Neck Cancer

May 25th 2016

James Melotek, MD, discusses two clinical trials looking at the impact of cetuximab in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Expert Discusses Promise of Nivolumab in Head and Neck Cancer

May 24th 2016

Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, explains the potential of nivolumab, its future, and its limitations in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

FDA Grants Nivolumab Breakthrough Designation for Head and Neck Cancer

April 25th 2016

The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to nivolumab as a single-agent treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck following a platinum-based therapy.

Dr. Ferris on CheckMate-141 Trial in Head and Neck Cancer

April 20th 2016

Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, vice chair for Clinical Operations, associate director for Translational Research, and coleader of the Cancer Immunology Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, discusses the CheckMate-141 trial, which found that treatment with single-agent nivolumab (Opdivo) reduced the risk of death by 30% and doubled 1-year overall survival (OS) rates compared investigator's choice of therapy for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCHN).

Nivolumab Doubles 1-Year OS Rates in Head and Neck Cancer

April 19th 2016

Treatment with single-agent nivolumab reduced the risk of death by 30% and double 1-year overall survival rates compared investigator's choice of therapy for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Dr. Spencer on Radiation Therapy for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

April 14th 2016

Sharon Spencer, MD, professor, chief of Medical Services, Ruby Meredith Outstanding Clinician Endowed Chair, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, discusses the types of radiation therapy available to patients with head and neck cancer.

FDA Grants Priority Review to Pembrolizumab for Head and Neck Cancer

April 13th 2016

The FDA has granted a priority review designation to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as a treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.