Can Color Vision Deficiency Impact Survival in Bladder or Colorectal Cancer?
Color vision deficiency is an inherited condition affecting 1 in 12 males (8%) and 1 in 200 females (0.5%), most often impairing the ability to distinguish the color red. A recent study published in Nature Health examined the possible impact of color vision deficiency on survival outcomes among...
Comprehensive Multiomic Resource for HPV-Negative Head and Neck Cancers
In a comprehensive molecular characterization of the most common type of head and neck cancer, researchers from the United States and Poland have clarified the contribution of key cancer-associated genes, proteins, and signaling pathways in these cancers, while proposing possible new treatment...
Emergency Department Use and Unplanned Hospitalization Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: Association With Reported Symptom Burden
In a Canadian population-based study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Noel et al found that patient-reported symptom burden was significantly associated with the likelihood of emergency department use and unplanned hospitalization among patients with head and neck cancer.
Study ...
Reduced-Dose Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
In the phase II NRG Oncology HN002 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sue S. Yom, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that a reduced-dose intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) regimen for human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma satisfied...
Endoscopic Nasopharyngectomy vs IMRT for Previously Treated, Resectable, Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Liu et al found that endoscopic nasopharyngectomy was associated with improved overall survival vs intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in patients with resectable locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma who had received prior...
FDA Pipeline: Designations in Ovarian, Head/Neck, and Thyroid Cancers
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to a novel immunotherapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer as well as Breakthrough Therapy designation to treatments for HRAS-mutant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and previously treated thyroid cancer....
FDA Pipeline: Novel Treatments in Lymphoma, Nasopharyngeal Cancer, Solid Tumors, and More
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Priority Review to agents for several kinds of lymphoma, as well as nasopharyngeal cancer; a Breakthrough Therapy designation for a treatment for patients with NTRK-positive advanced solid tumors; and Fast Track designation for...
First-Line TPEx vs EXTREME Regimen for Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In a phase II trial (GORTEC 2014-01 TPExtreme) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Joël Guigay, MD, and colleagues found that first-line TPEx (docetaxel/platinum/cetuximab) did not improve overall survival vs the standard-of-care EXTREME regimen (fluorouracil [5-FU]/platinum/cetuximab) in patients...
FDA Pipeline: Reviews for Agents in Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease, Nasopharyngeal and Ovarian Cancers
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Priority Review to an agent for the prevention of acute graft-vs-host disease; Breakthrough Therapy designation to an anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody for the treatment of metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma; and Fast Track designation to a ...
Tipifarnib for Patients With Advanced HRAS-Mutant Head and Neck Cancer and High Variant Allele Frequency
In a phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ho et al found that tipifarnib produced a high response rate among patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with HRAS mutations and high variant allele frequency.
As stated by the investigators,...
First-Line Cisplatin Plus Gemcitabine or Fluorouracil for Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Final Overall Survival Analysis
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Hong et al, the final overall survival analysis of the Chinese phase III GEM20110714 trial showed a significant benefit with gemcitabine/cisplatin vs fluorouracil/cisplatin as first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal...
Addition of Avelumab to Chemoradiotherapy in Previously Untreated Patients With Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Nancy Y. Lee, MD, and colleagues, the phase III JAVELIN Head and Neck 100 trial showed no improvement in progression-free survival with the addition of the PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab to chemoradiotherapy in patients with previously untreated locally advanced...
Meta-analysis of Treatment Modalities for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
In an individual patient data network meta-analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Petit et al identified treatment modalities associated with improved overall survival vs locoregional treatment alone in nonmetastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer, with hyperfractionated radiotherapy and...
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy–Navigated vs Elective Neck Dissection for Early Oral Cancer
In a Japanese noninferiority phase III trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hasegawa et al found noninferior survival and improved neck functionality with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB)-navigated neck dissection vs elective neck dissection in patients with previously untreated...
New Research Finds Few Young Adult Men Have Received the HPV Vaccine
Using data from the 2010–2018 National Health Interview Surveys, Chen et al found that just 16% of men who were 18 to 21 years old had received at least one dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at any age. In comparison, 42% of women in the same age bracket had gotten at least one shot of ...
Pembrolizumab Plus Cetuximab in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
In a cohort of a phase II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Assuntina G. Sacco, MD, and colleagues found that the combination of pembrolizumab and cetuximab produced durable responses in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who had received no prior PD-1, ...
Role of Geriatric Assessment in Personalizing Therapy for Elderly Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
In a prospective evaluation of the role of comprehensive geriatric assessment in personalizing therapy for elderly patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), geriatric intervention changed therapeutic choices in about 1 out of 10 patients and played an important...
American College of Surgeons Publishes Annual NCDB Report
The second annual report from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) documents a substantial rise in neoadjuvant treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy, often allowing for less invasive surgery and helping clinicians assess how a...
Toripalimab Plus Gemcitabine/Cisplatin Extends Progression-Free Survival in Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: JUPITER-02
According to the results from the phase III JUPITER-02 study, the addition of toripalimab, a humanized IgG4K anti–PD-1 monoclonal antibody, to standard gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma provided superior progression-free...
Transoral Surgery Followed by Lower-Dose Radiation in Patients With HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer at Intermediate Risk of Recurrence
The phase II E3311 trial offers new information about using reduced-intensity treatment in patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer who are at intermediate risk of recurrence. These findings were presented by Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, and colleagues during the 2021...
Factors Associated With Risk of Hearing Loss in Pediatric Patients Receiving Radiation and Chemotherapy
In a single-institution cohort study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Keilty et al identified factors associated with an increased risk of hearing loss in pediatric patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy for central nervous system and head and neck tumors.
The study...
Study Finds Significant Variation in the Incidence of Nasopharyngeal Cancer Among Ethnic Subgroups of Asian Americans
Although nasopharyngeal cancer is quite rare in most parts of the world, including the United States, the cancer causes a significant health burden among Asian Americans, which is a fast-growing but understudied racial group. According to the results from a study by Lee et al presented at the...
Abiraterone for Castration-Resistant, Androgen Receptor–Expressing Salivary Gland Cancer
In an Italian single-institution phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Locati et al found that abiraterone acetate showed activity in patients with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)-resistant, androgen receptor (AR)-overexpressing salivary gland carcinoma.
As stated by the...
Study Explores Taste and Smell Dysfunction in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
Most survivors of head and neck squamous cell cancers report that their sense of taste is dulled, changed, or lost during radiation treatment. In a study of taste and smell dysfunction in 40 cancer survivors, scientists found that the tips of these individuals' tongues were significantly less...
Updated Analysis of CARTITUDE-4: Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel in Lenalidomide-Refractory Multiple Myeloma
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Einsele et al, an updated analysis of the phase III CARTITUDE-4 trial has shown that a single infusion of ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel), a B-cell maturation antigen–directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, prolonged overall survival vs...
Weekly Outpatient Palliative Care Interventions Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Over 90% of patients with head and neck cancer receiving curative-intent chemoradiation therapy found weekly palliative care visits to be a valuable addition to their treatment, a recent study published by Bauman et al in the Journal of Palliative Medicine found.
Although palliative care is known...
Advanced NSCLC: Dual vs Single Checkpoint Blockade
A global meta-analysis combined detailed patient data from six major clinical trials to compare two types of immunotherapies for advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): dual immunotherapy (a combination of CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors) and single immunotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors...
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Mandibular Preservation in Operable Oral Cavity Cancer
In an Indian single-institution phase II study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Chaukar et al found that neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with mandibular preservation in approximately half of previously untreated patients undergoing surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the...
New National Study Finds Oropharyngeal Cancer Incidence and Mortality Is Rising in the United States
Oropharyngeal cancer incidence among men is continuing to rise rapidly in nearly all 50 U.S. states and among women living in states in the Midwest and Southeast regions, according to a new study published by Damgacioglu et al in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.
In addition, the...
Imaging Biomarker May Help to Risk-Stratify Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
A team of scientists has used artificial intelligence (AI) to identify which patients with certain head and neck cancers may benefit from reducing the intensity of treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Their findings were published by Corredor et al in the Journal of the National...
Savolitinib Plus Osimertinib in Advanced EGFR-Mutant, MET-Amplified NSCLC
In an interim analysis of a Chinese phase III trial (SACHI) reported in The Lancet, Lu et al found that the combination of savolitinib and osimertinib prolonged progression-free survival vs chemotherapy in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated, MET-amplified non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Study...
Study Examines Head and Neck Cancer Incidence in Black Populations Around the World
Researchers have found that disparities in the incidence of head and neck cancer are driven by behavioral and environmental risk factors rather than race. They demonstrated this in the first-ever study to compare head and neck cancer incidence in Black patients in the United States, the Caribbean,...
Reduced-Intensity Chemoradiotherapy in EBV DNA–Selected Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Li et al found that treatment with two cycles of concurrent cisplatin and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) was noninferior to three cycles in progression-free survival and associated with reduced toxicity in patients...
Biomarker Test May Predict Recurrence of HPV-Driven Oropharyngeal Cancer
A large, multi-institutional study demonstrated that a blood test to detect circulating tumor DNA may accurately predict recurrence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven oropharyngeal cancer following treatment. Results also indicated that the biomarker test may detect recurrent disease earlier than ...
Midtreatment Imaging De-escalates Therapy for Half of Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer
Positron-emission tomography (PET) scans obtained before and midway through treatment can be used to de-escalate therapy for oropharyngeal cancer, potentially leading to fewer short-term side effects, according to data presented by Allen et al at the 2022 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers...
Disadvantaged Patients Less Likely to Receive Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques for Head and Neck Cancer
Advanced radiotherapy techniques can reduce the risk of severe and debilitating toxicity associated with radiation, but not all patients have equal access to these modalities, according to data presented by Neal S. McCall, MD, at the 2022 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium (Abstract...
Elective Upper-Neck vs Whole-Neck Irradiation in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Tang et al found that elective upper-neck irradiation sparing the uninvolved neck was noninferior in regional relapse–free survival vs standard whole-neck irradiation in previously untreated patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Study...
Postoperative Weekly vs Every-3-Week Cisplatin in Chemoradiation for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
In a Japanese phase II/III trial (JCOG1008) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kiyota et al found that overall survival with once-weekly cisplatin in postoperative chemoradiation was noninferior to every-3-week cisplatin for patients with high-risk locally advanced squamous cell...
Primary Transoral Surgery and Reduced-Dose Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for HPV-Positive Locally Advanced Oropharyngeal Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD, and colleagues, the phase II ECOG-ACRIN E3311 trial has shown high progression-free survival rates and good functional outcomes in patients with intermediate-risk human papillomavirus (HPV; p16)-positive locally advanced...
Induction Chemotherapy With Paclitaxel, Cisplatin, and Capecitabine vs Cisplatin and Fluorouracil for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Li et al found that induction chemotherapy with paclitaxel, cisplatin, and capecitabine (TPC) prior to concurrent chemoradiation was associated with improved failure-free survival vs induction therapy with cisplatin and fluorouracil (PF) in...
Outcomes With Pembrolizumab, Pembrolizumab/Chemotherapy, and Cetuximab/Chemotherapy by PD-L1 CPS in Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
In a post hoc analysis of the KEYNOTE-048 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Barbara Burtness, MD, and colleagues found that survival results with pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab/chemotherapy vs cetuximab/chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous...
Association of Pretreatment Lymphocyte Count With Overall Survival and Benefit of Addition of Cisplatin to Radiotherapy in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In a UK observational cohort study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Price et al found that pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) was associated with overall survival and predictive of benefit of the addition of cisplatin to radiotherapy in patients with oropharyngeal squamous...
Effect of Changes to California Medicaid Dental Benefits on Earlier Diagnosis of Oral Cavity Cancer
In a study reported in a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Kana et al found that changes to Medicaid dental benefits in California from comprehensive to emergency services—and then back to comprehensive—were associated with reduced, then increased, percentages of cases of oral cavity cancer...
Tislelizumab Plus Chemotherapy Improves Progression-Free Survival in Nasopharyngeal Cancer
The addition of the checkpoint inhibitor tislelizumab to first-line chemotherapy significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 50% and, despite a 49% crossover rate, numerically boosted overall survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer, Zhang et al...
Treatment De-escalation in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer Using Primary Radiotherapy vs Transoral Surgery
As reported in JAMA Oncology by David Palma, MD, PhD, and colleagues, enrollment in the phase II ORATOR2 trial, which was designed to evaluate overall survival after de-escalated treatment with primary radiotherapy vs transoral surgery in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous...
Gabapentin May Be an Effective Alternative to Opioids for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Radiation
Patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy may be less likely to require opioids or a feeding tube if they received a higher dose of prophylactic gabapentin before their treatment, findings from a team of radiation oncologists showed. Their report, published by Ma et al in JAMA ...
Role of Combined Positive Score With Treatment Outcomes in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
In an analysis of the KEYNOTE-048 trial reported in a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Yu et al identified outcomes with pembrolizumab alone or combined with chemotherapy vs cetuximab plus chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with a low or...
Study Finds Black and Hispanic Men With Throat Cancer Are Experiencing Higher Mortality; White Men Are Increasingly Being Diagnosed at a Late Stage
Hispanic and Black men are dying from human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated throat cancer at a higher rate than White men, and most new cases being diagnosed in non-Hispanic White men are late-stage disease, according to a new study published by Villalona et al in the Annals of Cancer Epidemiology.
...
Risk of Oropharyngeal Cancer After a Positive HPV16-E6 Serology Test
In an analysis from the Human Papillomavirus Cancer Cohort Consortium (HPVC3) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Robbins et al found substantial risks of oropharyngeal cancer over time among persons, particularly males, with positive results on human papillomavirus (HPV) 16-E6 serologic...
Tumor Grade and Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Recurrent or Metastatic Mucosal HNSCC
In a single-institution retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, Alkhatib et al found a higher rate of response to immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment among patients with histologic high-grade vs low-grade recurrent or metastatic mucosal head and neck...
Adhering to a Healthy Diet After a Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis May Boost Survival
Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head or neck were 93% less likely to die of any cause during the first 3 years after diagnosis if they ate a healthy diet high in nutrients found to deter chronic disease, according to results published by Vieytes et al in Frontiers in Nutrition. The...
Enzalutamide in Advanced Androgen Receptor–Positive Salivary Gland Cancer
In a phase II trial (Alliance A091404) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ho et al found that enzalutamide showed some activity in advanced androgen receptor–positive salivary gland cancer but failed to meet the predefined criterion for a successful strategy.
Study Details
In the ...
Radiotherapy Alone vs Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Low-Risk Nasopharyngeal Cancer
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in JAMA, Tang et al found that radiotherapy alone was noninferior to concurrent chemoradiotherapy in failure-free survival in patients with low-risk nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Study Details
In the open-label multicenter trial, 341 patients were randomly...
Pembrolizumab With or Without Chemotherapy vs Cetuximab/Chemotherapy in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Kevin Harrington, MD, PhD, and colleagues, updated results of the phase III KEYNOTE-048 trial showed enduring survival benefits with first-line pembrolizumab alone and pembrolizumab/chemotherapy vs cetuximab/chemotherapy in patients with recurrent...
Indian Trial Explores Addition of Low-Dose Nivolumab to Chemotherapy in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
In an Indian single-center phase III trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vijay Patil, MBBS, MD, DM, and colleagues found that the addition of low-dose nivolumab to triple metronomic chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent...
Some Head and Neck Cancer Survivors May Be at Greater Risk for Long-Term Gastrostomy Tube Use
A small subset of patients who have undergone treatment for head and neck cancer may require a gastrostomy tube many years into survivorship, according to a new study published by Galloway et al in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics. The findings were also...
First-Line Nivolumab/Ipilimumab vs EXTREME Regimen in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
The final results of the phase III CheckMate 651 trial showed no significant overall survival benefit with first-line nivolumab/ipilimumab vs the EXTREME regimen (cetuximab plus cisplatin or carboplatin plus fluorouracil for up to six cycles, followed by cetuximab maintenance) in recurrent or...
Proton Therapy Reirradiation in Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In a single-institution retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Lee et al found that proton therapy reirradiation (PT-ReRT) may be associated with improved survival in patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, with a fractionated regimen being associated with...
Docetaxel as a Radiosensitizer in Cisplatin-Ineligible Patients With Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
In an Indian single-center phase II/III trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Patil et al found that the use of docetaxel as a radiosensitizer was associated with better outcomes than radiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who were...
Radiotherapy vs Transoral Robotic Surgery for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Nichols et al, final results of the phase II ORATOR trial indicate some differences in toxicity and quality of life between radiotherapy and transoral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, with both approaches yielding similar...
Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Trials May Be Becoming Less Diverse, Despite National Efforts
Many patients with head and neck cancer may lack equal opportunity to access experimental treatments in clinical trials or receive treatments that were shown to be effective in similar patients, according to a recent study published by Zuckerman and Edwards in Head & Neck.
Background
Millions ...
Enfortumab Vedotin in Previously Treated Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
In a phase II trial (EV-202) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Swiecicki et al found that the antibody-drug conjugate enfortumab vedotin showed activity in heavily pretreated patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (HNC).
Study Details
In the study, 46 patients who...
Investigational Personalized Vaccine in Resected Head and Neck Cancers
TG4050, a personalized neoantigen vaccine, induced tumor-specific immune responses and led to low rates of disease relapse in patients with surgically resected human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), according to results reported at the American Association...
Newly Diagnosed Locally Advanced HNSCC: Adding Pembrolizumab to Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Jean-Pascal Machiels, MD, and colleagues, the phase III KEYNOTE-412 trial showed no significant improvement in event-free survival with the addition of pembrolizumab to concurrent chemoradiotherapy in newly diagnosed patients with high-risk locally advanced...
Radiotherapy With Durvalumab or Cetuximab in Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer With Contraindication for Cisplatin
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Mell et al, the phase II/III NRG-HN004 trial of radiotherapy with durvalumab or cetuximab in patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and contraindications for cisplatin was stopped for futility during phase II; the phase III...
Head and Neck Cancer: Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw Classification System
In a single-institution study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Watson et al identified risk factors for osteoradionecrosis of the jaw and developed a classification system for the condition in patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer.
Study Details
The study...
FDA Approves HPV Self-Collection Solution
On May 15, Roche announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its human papillomavirus (HPV) self-collection solution—one of the first of such tests available in the United States.
Screening for HPV can help identify women who are at risk of developing cervical cancer so that...
IMRT Reirradiation Plus Nivolumab in Recurrent or Second Primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In a phase II study reported in JAMA Oncology, Saba et al found that the addition of nivolumab to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) reirradiation improved progression-free survival in patients with recurrent or second primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. ...
Proton Therapy vs Traditional Radiation Therapy in Patients With Oropharyngeal Cancer
Intensity-modulated proton therapy may achieve similar clinical outcomes and offer significant benefits compared with traditional intensity-modulated radiation therapy in patients with oropharyngeal cancer, according to preliminary data from a multi-institutional phase III trial presented by Frank...
Updated ASTRO Clinical Guidelines on Radiation Therapy for HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) detailed best practices for using radiation therapy as a stand-alone curative treatment or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy to treat patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma,
Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC: First-Line VEGFR2 Plus PD-1 Inhibition
In a single-center phase I/II trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Douglas Adkins, MD, and colleagues found that the recommended phase II dose of ramucirumab combined with pembrolizumab was active in the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell...
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Adding Sintilimab to Standard Chemoradiotherapy for Locoregionally Advanced Disease
Based on the results of the Chinese multicenter phase III CONTINUUM trial, which were reported in The Lancet by Liu et al, the addition of the PD-1 inhibitor sintilimab to standard chemoradiotherapy seemed to improve event-free survival—albeit with more frequent but manageable adverse events—in...
New Imaging Guidelines for Head and Neck Cancers Published
Researchers have developed new imaging guidelines, representing a major shift in the management of patients with head and neck cancers, according to a study published by Henson et al in The Lancet Oncology. The guidelines may lay the foundation for these patients to be treated with tailored...
Radiation Alone May Be as Effective as Chemoradiation in Patients With Low-Risk Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignant head and neck cancer that is highly prevalent in the southern and southwestern provinces of China. Although the incidence of the cancer is less than 1 per 100,000 in Europe, the United States, and the Pacific, data from the International...
Cannabis Use and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer
In a study reported in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, Gallagher et al found that individuals with cannabis-related disorder were at an increased risk of head and neck cancer vs those without cannabis-related disorder. Cannabis-related disorders are defined by the excessive use of...
Mouthwash-Based Test May Help Predict Head and Neck Cancer Recurrence
Researchers have examined whether a mouthwash-based test could detect biomarkers to help physicians predict disease recurrence in patients with head and neck cancer, according to a recent study published by Franzmann et al in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.
Background
Head and neck...
Recurrent or Metastatic HNSCC: Overall Survival With Immunotherapy
In a study reported in JAMA Network Open, Sun et al analyzed survival outcomes with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment used in first- or second-line therapy, with treatment continuation vs discontinuation, and with treatment rechallenge in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and...
Nasal and Paranasal Sinus Cancer: Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Organ Preservation
Researchers have found that chemotherapy prior to surgery may reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed in patients with advanced nasal and paranasal sinus squamous cell carcinoma, according to recent findings presented by Saba et al at the European Society for Medical Oncology...
Cisplatin Shortage Led to Treatment Alternatives for Head and Neck Cancer, Significantly Increasing Cost
The alternative use of the monoclonal antibody cetuximab during the shortage of cisplatin in the treatment of head and neck cancer resulted in a 16% total cost increase, leading to a 144-fold increase in costs at the administrative level, impacting payer costs and patient cost-sharing amounts,...
FDA Approves Selpercatinib for RET Fusion–Positive Medullary Thyroid Cancer
On September 27, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted traditional approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo) for adult and pediatric patients aged 2 years and older with advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer with a RET mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test, who require...
Standard Chemoradiation May Be Superior to Deintensification Approaches in Patients With HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer
Deintensified treatment involving a lower radiation dose and immunotherapy in place of chemotherapy may not perform as well as a more rigorous chemoradiation treatment approach in patients with early-stage human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer, according to new findings...
Discordance of p16 and HPV DNA/RNA Status: Prognostic Implication in Squamous Cell Oropharyngeal Carcinoma
In a study reported in The Lancet Oncology, Hisham Mehanna, FRCS, and colleagues found that concordance and discordance of p16 immunohistochemistry and human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA/RNA testing were associated with different outcomes among patients with squamous cell oropharyngeal carcinoma.
...
Hyperfractionated vs Standard-Fractionation IMRT in Locally Advanced, Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet, You et al found that hyperfractionated vs standard-fractionation intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) was associated with reduced late severe radiotherapy complications and improved overall survival in patients with locally advanced, recurrent ...
Axitinib and Avelumab in Recurrent/Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
In a single-center phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Renata Ferrarotto, MD, and colleagues found that the combination of axitinib and avelumab showed evidence of activity in patients with recurrent or metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma.
Study Details
In the study, 28...
Addition of Ipilimumab to Nivolumab in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer
As reported in JAMA Oncology by Kevin J. Harrington, MBBS, PhD, and colleagues, the phase II CheckMate 714 trial has shown that the addition of ipilimumab to nivolumab did not improve objective response rate as first-line treatment in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of ...
Adjuvant Cisplatin/Gemcitabine vs Cisplatin/Fluorouracil After Chemoradiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Chinese phase III trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Liu et al found that adjuvant cisplatin/gemcitabine improved progression-free survival vs cisplatin/fluorouracil following chemoradiotherapy in previously untreated patients with N2 or N3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Study Details
In the...
FDA Approves Toripalimab-tpzi for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
On October 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved toripalimab-tpzi (Loqtorz) with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of adults with metastatic or recurrent locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The FDA also approved toripalimab-tpzi as a single agent for...
Role of Chemotherapy in Patients With Nonmetastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated With Radiotherapy
In an updated individual patient data network meta-analysis reported in The Lancet Oncology, Petit et al found that the treatment approach with the highest overall survival benefit among patients with nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy was induction chemotherapy with...
Ultraprocessed Food May Heighten Risk of Head and Neck Cancer and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma
A higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods may be associated with the development of cancer of the upper–aerodigestive tract such as head and neck cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma, according to a recent study published by Morales-Berstein et al in the European Journal of Nutrition. The new...
Treatment at Community Cancer Centers May Be Linked to Poorer Outcomes in Patients With HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Treatment in community cancer centers may be associated with a lower rate of survival among patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, according to a recent study published by Trakimas et al in the Journal of the National Cancer...
HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Carcinoma: Tumor Hypoxia–Directed Treatment
In a single-institution phase II trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Nancy Y. Lee, MD, and colleagues found that tumor hypoxia is a promising marker for radiotherapy dose among patients receiving chemoradiotherapy for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal carcinoma.
As...
Exposure to Secondhand Smoke During Chemotherapy May Decrease Treatment Efficacy in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Researchers have found that exposure to secondhand smoke during treatment with cisplatin may reduce its effectiveness in patients with head and neck cancer, even if they don’t have a history of smoking, according to a recent study published by Sadhasivam et al in the International Journal of...
Risk of Stroke in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer
In a Singaporean study reported in JAMA Network Open, Yip et al found that survivors of head and neck cancer were at an increased risk of stroke compared with the general population.
Study Details
The registry-based cross-sectional study involved 9,803 survivors—excluding those with a history of ...
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Radiotherapy vs Chemoradiotherapy After Induction Chemotherapy
In a Chinese phase III study reported in JAMA Oncology, Dai et al found that induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy alone was noninferior in terms of progression-free survival vs induction chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy in the first-line treatment of locoregionally...
Can HPV ctDNA Guide the Adjuvant Treatment of Oropharyngeal Cancer?
Although liquid biopsies are now helping determine the need for adjuvant therapy in a number of malignancies, they have yet to prove useful in the setting of oropharyngeal carcinoma, according to a prospective pilot study presented at the 2024 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium that...
Investigators Evaluate the Role of BMI in Outcomes in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Investigators have found that patients with head and neck cancer who had an overweight body mass index (BMI) may have had better outcomes, longer overall and progression-free survival, and lower rates of locoregional failure than those with a normal or obese BMI, according to a new study published...
Researchers May Have Uncovered Two New Subtypes of HPV-Positive Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas can be divided into two distinct subtypes that may help determine how well patients will respond to therapy, according to a novel study published by Schrank et al in PNAS. The findings also identified a new mechanism of HPV...
EBV-Based Screening Methods for Identifying Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
In a Taiwanese study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lou et al compared two methods of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) screening to identify nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Study Details
Blood samples were obtained from 819 incident Taiwanese nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases (including 213 cases...
AI-Driven Muscle Mass Assessment May Aid in Detecting Sarcopenia in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer
Researchers have found a way to use artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose sarcopenia in patients with head and neck cancer. The tool may be used to improve treatment and supportive care for patients, according to a report published by Ye et al in JAMA Network Open.
“Sarcopenia is an indicator...
Efficacy of the 9-Valent HPV Vaccine: 10-Year Follow-up
New 10-year follow-up data were published by Restrepo et al in Pediatrics on girls and boys who received a three-dose regimen of the 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine between the ages of 9 and 15. The long-term follow-up study was conducted from 2009 through 2021 across 13 countries and 5 ...
