Letter to the editor referring to the publication entitled “The role of antagonists of the PD-1:PD-L1/PD-L2 axis in head and neck cancer treatment” by Pai et al.
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Oral Oncology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2016.08.007 |
| Field | Oncology and hematology |
| Keywords | squamous-cell carcinoma; recurrent; methotrexate; trial |
| Description | As addressed by Pai with co-workers in their comprehensive review, novel immunotherapeutic strategies using immune checkpoint inhibitors represent a promising area of research in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) [1]. Results from a phase III trial and preliminary data from three early clinical studies demonstrated the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies against programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor (nivolumab, pembrolizumab) and its ligand PD-L1 (durvalumab) as second-line treatments in the recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) setting. With relatively low incidence of serious adverse events, these agents elicited durable responses even in patients with refractory disease. Moreover, nivolumab, as the first drug ever, significantly improved overall survival (OS) by 2.4 months compared with investigator’s choice (single-agent chemotherapy or cetuximab) [1–4]. From a broader perspective, these pioneering studies have important implications for future trial design with one of the challenges being the selection of appropriate clinical endpoints associated with benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitors. |