Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers
Immunotherapy, especially the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as the pembrolizumab and nivolumab have contributed to significant improvements in treatment outcomes and survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Still, only a subset of patients benefits from ICIs and hence the race is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.837835/full |
| _version_ | 1818289740392169472 |
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| author | Annie Wai Yeeng Chai Pei San Yee Sok Ching Cheong Sok Ching Cheong |
| author_facet | Annie Wai Yeeng Chai Pei San Yee Sok Ching Cheong Sok Ching Cheong |
| author_sort | Annie Wai Yeeng Chai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Immunotherapy, especially the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as the pembrolizumab and nivolumab have contributed to significant improvements in treatment outcomes and survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Still, only a subset of patients benefits from ICIs and hence the race is on to identify combination therapies that could improve response rates. Increasingly, genetic alterations that occur within cancer cells have been shown to modulate the tumor microenvironment resulting in immune evasion, and these have led to the emergence of trials that rationalize a combination of targeted therapy with immunotherapy. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the biological rationale and current strategies of combining targeted therapy with the approved ICIs in HNC. We summarize the ongoing combinatorial clinical trials and discuss emerging immunomodulatory targets. We also discuss the challenges and gaps that have yet to be addressed, as well as future perspectives in combining these different drug classes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:17:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9d2e7d54699141b896fc79923afb06eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T02:17:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9d2e7d54699141b896fc79923afb06eb2022-12-22T00:02:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2022-03-011210.3389/fonc.2022.837835837835Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck CancersAnnie Wai Yeeng Chai0Pei San Yee1Sok Ching Cheong2Sok Ching Cheong3Translational Cancer Biology Research Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, MalaysiaTranslational Cancer Biology Research Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, MalaysiaTranslational Cancer Biology Research Unit, Cancer Research Malaysia, Subang Jaya, MalaysiaDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaImmunotherapy, especially the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as the pembrolizumab and nivolumab have contributed to significant improvements in treatment outcomes and survival of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Still, only a subset of patients benefits from ICIs and hence the race is on to identify combination therapies that could improve response rates. Increasingly, genetic alterations that occur within cancer cells have been shown to modulate the tumor microenvironment resulting in immune evasion, and these have led to the emergence of trials that rationalize a combination of targeted therapy with immunotherapy. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the biological rationale and current strategies of combining targeted therapy with the approved ICIs in HNC. We summarize the ongoing combinatorial clinical trials and discuss emerging immunomodulatory targets. We also discuss the challenges and gaps that have yet to be addressed, as well as future perspectives in combining these different drug classes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.837835/fullhead and neck cancertargeted therapyimmunotherapydrug combinationscancer geneticsimmune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) |
| spellingShingle | Annie Wai Yeeng Chai Pei San Yee Sok Ching Cheong Sok Ching Cheong Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers Frontiers in Oncology head and neck cancer targeted therapy immunotherapy drug combinations cancer genetics immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) |
| title | Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers |
| title_full | Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers |
| title_fullStr | Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers |
| title_short | Rational Combinations of Targeted Therapy and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Cancers |
| title_sort | rational combinations of targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors in head and neck cancers |
| topic | head and neck cancer targeted therapy immunotherapy drug combinations cancer genetics immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.837835/full |
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