Tanguy Y. Seiwert, MD

Moderator of the session, Tanguy Y. Seiwert, MD, Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Oncology Disease Group and Assistant Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, underscored the “dramatically good” preclinical data supporting the use of mTOR inhibitors in advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer. “Now, there are clinical data that are at least hypothesis-forming going in the exact same direction,” said Dr. Seiwert, who noted, however, that the field has moved onto immunotherapy. “It seems very unfortunate to have such a clear effect size, a good hypothesis to test, and drugs that are actually available and inexpensive and not to be able to obtain a definitive answer.”

“One of the key things mentioned by Dr. Seiwert is the low cost of the drug,” said study author Cherie-Ann Olympia Nathan, MD, Chairman and Professor of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. “In this day and age, with the concerns of health-care costs, everolimus has been shown to be safe for up to 4 years in other diseases. I think it would be worthwhile to explore everolimus for longer than 2 years in head and neck cancer; and when patients’ disease no longer responds, we can move on to immunotherapy. Or we could use this drug for 1 year followed by immunotherapy.” 

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Seiwert reported no conflicts of interest.