®! I’m your host today, Jax DiEugenio.

In today’s episode, we spoke with Neal S. Akhave, MD, about recent updates to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and how these changes are reshaping clinical practice in the United States. Dr Akhave is an assistant professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology of the Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

In our conversation, Dr Akhave discussed the addition of toripalimab (Loqtorzi), a PD-1 inhibitor, to the NCCN Guidelines following its launch in the United States. Supported by data from the phase 3 JUPITER-02 trial (NCT03581786), toripalimab is now incorporated into frontline therapy for patients with recurrent metastatic or de novo metastatic Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)–positive NPC, in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin. He explained how this regimen has produced substantial improvements in progression-free survival (PFS), nearly tripling median PFS compared with chemotherapy alone, while maintaining a manageable safety profile.

Dr Akhave also reviewed findings from the phase 3 DIAMOND trial (NCT04907370), which evaluated the integration of toripalimab into induction chemoradiotherapy in the management of locally advanced NPC. In this study, replacing concurrent cisplatin with toripalimab plus radiation preserved efficacy while reducing acute toxicities—including mucositis, nausea, and dermatitis—and improving patient quality of life. He noted that the benefit of PD-1 blockade in NPC reflects the tumor’s near-universal PD-L1 expression and its biologic responsiveness to chemoimmunotherapy.

Additionally, Dr Akhave highlighted how data from both JUPITER-02 and DIAMOND reinforce the evolving role of immunotherapy across disease stages, with ongoing efforts to optimize sequencing, minimize toxicity, and extend durable responses for patients with NPC.

That’s all we have for today! Thank you for listening to this episode of 

. Check back throughout the week for exclusive interviews with leading experts in the oncology field.

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Neal S. Akhave, MD, discusses the addition of toripalimab to the NCCN guidelines for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Exploring NCCN Guideline Updates and Advancing Immunotherapy Strategies in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: With Neal S. Akhave, MD 

, which provides oncology professionals with the resources and information they need to provide the best patient care. In both digital and print formats, OncLive covers every angle of oncology practice, from new technology to treatment advances to important regulatory decisions.

In today’s episode, supported by Coherus BioSciences, we had the pleasure of speaking with Justine Bruce, MD, about the ongoing evolution of nasopharyngeal carcinoma management. Dr Bruce is a faculty member in the Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care within the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, as well as the director of the VA Medical Oncology Clinical Research Program and chair of the Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center in Madison.

In our exclusive interview, Dr Bruce discussed evolving treatment strategies for nasopharyngeal cancer, emphasizing the shift from chemoradiation followed by adjuvant chemotherapy to induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. She also noted how toripalimab-tpzi (Loqtorzi) combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin showed improved overall survival (OS) in the first-line setting in the phase 3 JUPITER-02 trial (NCT03581786). Bruce also expressed her preference for OS as the gold standard for determining the efficacy of nasopharyngeal cancer treatments and noted the need for more US-based trials to reflect the local patient population.
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That’s all we have for today! Thank you for listening to this episode of OncLive On Air, supported by Coherus BioSciences. Check back on Mondays and Thursdays for exclusive interviews with leading experts in the oncology field.

For more updates in oncology, be sure to visit www.OncLive.com and sign up for our e-newsletters.

OncLive is also on social media. On X and BlueSky, follow us at @OncLive. On Facebook, like us at OncLive, and follow our OncLive page on LinkedIn.

If you liked today’s episode of OncLive On Air, please consider subscribing to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many of your other favorite podcast platforms,* so you get a notification every time a new episode is posted. While you are there, please take a moment to rate us!

Thanks again for listening to OncLive On Air.

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Dr Bruce discusses treatment strategies for nasopharyngeal cancer, including how first-line toripalimab plus chemotherapy has shown improved OS.

Toripalimab Plus De-Intensified Chemo Represents the Potential Future of Nasopharyngeal Cancer Management: With Justine Bruce, MD

, which provides oncology professionals with the resources and information they need to provide the best patient care. In both digital and print formats, 

 covers every angle of oncology practice, from new technology to treatment advances to important regulatory decisions.

In today’s episode, supported by Coherus BioSciences, we had the pleasure of speaking with Michael Dennis, MD, about recent updates to the nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment paradigm. Dr Dennis is a physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; as well as an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, Massachusetts.

In our exclusive interview, Dr Dennis discussed the latest National Comprehensive Cancer Center guideline updates for the treatment of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma; practice-informing data from the phase 3 JUPITER-02 trial (NCT03581786), which investigated first-line toripalimab-tpzi (Loqtorzi) plus chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma; and ongoing developments in the locally advanced treatment setting.

That’s all we have for today! Thank you for listening to this episode of 

supported by Coherus BioSciences. Check back on Mondays and Thursdays for exclusive interviews with leading experts in the oncology field.

For more updates in oncology, be sure to visit 

 is also on social media. On X and BlueSky, follow us at @OncLive. On Facebook, like us at OncLive, and follow our OncLive page on LinkedIn.

Dr Dennis discusses guidelines for nasopharyngeal carcinoma management and data with first-line toripalimab plus chemotherapy in metastatic disease.

Solidifying the Synergistic Activity of Toripalimab Plus Chemotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma | Supplements and Featured Publications

Exploring NCCN Guideline Updates and Advancing Immunotherapy Strategies in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: With Neal S. Akhave, MD

Toripalimab Plus De-Intensified Chemo Represents the Potential Future of Nasopharyngeal Cancer Management: With Justine Bruce, MD

Long-Term Data Underscore the Enduring Efficacy of PD-1 Inhibition in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: With Michael Dennis, MD