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 Sher on the Efficacy and Safety of Daily Adaptive Radiotherapy in HNSCC

October 12th 2023

David Sher, MD, discusses efficacy outcomes with daily adaptive radiotherapy with 1-mm planning target volume margins in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Radiotherapy-Activated NBTXR3 Elicits Activity in Older/Comorbid Locally Advanced HNSCC

October 6th 2023

Treatment with the first-in-class radioenhancer NBTXR3 proved tolerable and effective in older patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and a comorbidity index.

Daily Adaptive Radiotherapy Delivers Improved Efficacy and Safety Outcomes in HNSCC

October 4th 2023

Daily adaptive radiotherapy with 1-mm planning target volume margins is feasible in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and was associated with improved dosimetric parameters compared with standard radiotherapy.

NT219 Plus Cetuximab Elicits Responses, Demonstrates Tolerability in Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC

October 3rd 2023

Second-line treatment with NT219 alone and in combination with cetuximab demonstrated safety and tolerability, and the combination produced confirmed partial responses in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PDS0101 Plus Pembrolizumab Elicits 74% 2-Year OS Rate in ICI-Naïve, HPV16+ HNSCC

October 3rd 2023

The addition of PDS0101 to pembrolizumab resulted in a 2-year overall survival rate of 74% in patients with unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic, HPV16-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who were naïve to an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

TACTI-002 Data Show Antitumor Activity With Second-Line Eftilagimod Alpha and PD-1 Inhibition in HNSCC

September 1st 2023

Bernard Doger de Spéville, MD, PhD, discusses the investigation of eftilagimod alpha plus pembrolizumab in the TACTI-002 trial, including prior evidence supporting this approach, the trial’s design and primary objective, and the combination’s efficacy and safety in both the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and non–small cell lung cancer cohorts.

FDA Grants Fast Track Status to ALE.C04 for Recurrent or Metastatic CLDN1+ HNSCC

August 25th 2023

The FDA has granted fast track designation to ALE.C04 for use as a potential therapeutic option in patients with recurrent or metastatic, Claudin-1–positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

LEAP-010 Trial Discontinued After OS Projection With Pembrolizumab/Lenvatinib in Metastatic HNSCC

August 25th 2023

The combination of pembrolizumab and lenvatinib demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival and objective response rate but failed to improve overall survival compared with pembrolizumab plus placebo as frontline therapy for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Selpercatinib Significantly Improves PFS Over MKIs in RET-Mutant Medullary Thyroid Cancer

August 22nd 2023

Selpercatinib demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival vs physician’s choice of cabozantinib or vandetanib in patients with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer, meeting the primary end point of the phase 3 LIBRETTO-531 trial.

FDA Issues CRL to NDA for Avasopasem in Radiotherapy-Induced Severe Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer

August 9th 2023

The FDA has issued a complete response letter to the new drug application seeking the approval of avasopasem manganese as a treatment for radiotherapy-induced severe oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing standard-of-care treatment.

ENB-003 Plus Pembrolizumab Elicits Safety, Activity in Ovarian Cancer and Other Advanced, Refractory Solid Tumors

July 20th 2023

Treatment with the combination of ENB-003 and pembrolizumab was well tolerated and produced preliminary signs of clinical activity in patients with platinum-refractory or -resistant, microsatellite stable ovarian cancer, and those with other advanced refractory solid tumors.

Setanaxib Plus Pembrolizumab Elicits PFS Benefit in Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC

July 18th 2023

The combination of the NOX1/4 inhibitor setanaxib and pembrolizumab produced progression-free survival benefits compared with placebo plus pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

ASP-1929 Plus Pembrolizumab Produces Responses, Proves Safe in Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC

July 12th 2023

Treatment with ASP-1929 in combination with pembrolizumab led to responses and was well tolerated in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Genentech Withdraws US Indication for Pralsetinib in Advanced or Metastatic RET+ Medullary Thyroid Cancer

June 30th 2023

The US indication for pralsetinib in the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy has been voluntarily withdrawn by Genentech.

Optimizing Treatment Patterns in Relapsed or Refractory Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

June 21st 2023

A panel of head and neck cancer experts discussed the nuances of managing relapsed or refractory DTC with lenvatinib or sorafenib, as well as sequencing considerations with targeted therapies in the second-line setting and beyond for patients with relapsed or refractory disease.

Dr Saba on Findings from the CONTINUUM Trial of Sintilimab in Nasopharyngeal Cancer

June 20th 2023

Nabil F. Saba, MD, FACP, discusses key findings from the phase 3 CONTINUUM trial of sintilimab plus chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Sintilimab Plus Chemoradiotherapy Improves EFS in Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

June 6th 2023

The addition of sintilimab to chemoradiotherapy demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of disease recurrence or death, distant metastasis and locoregional recurrence compared with chemoradiotherapy alone as frontline therapy in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, according to findings from the phase 3 CONTINUUM trial.

Dr Ma on Sintilimab Plus Chemotherapy in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

June 5th 2023

Jun Ma, MD, discusses findings from the phase 3 CONTINUUM trial of sintilimab in combination with induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Darolutamide Demonstrates Activity, Safety in AR-Positive Salivary Gland Cancer

June 5th 2023

Darolutamide was well tolerated and generated clinically meaningful activity across secondary end points in the treatment of patients with androgen receptor–positive salivary gland cancer.

Dr Doger de Spéville on Key Efficacy Findings From Part C of TACTI-002 in HNSCC

June 5th 2023

Bernard Doger de Spéville, MD, PhD, discusses key findings from part C of the phase 2 TACTI-002 trial of eftilagimod alpha plus pembrolizumab as second-line treatment for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.