Head and Neck Cancers
Emerging therapies in solid tumors
Interleukin-8 (IL-8), also known as chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 8, is a pro-inflammatory chemokine that exerts direct pro-tumorigenic effects primarily by recruiting immunosuppressive cells into the tumor microenvironment such as neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. IL-8 has also been shown to promote cancer progression and resistance to therapy, by inducing angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and cancer stem cell (CSC) self-renewal.
New clinical insights in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was the sixth most common cancer in 2018, with more than 700,000 newly diagnosed cases per year and 350,000 cancer deaths worldwide. Around 90 % of head and neck cancers are HNSCC, with oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx being the most commonly affected areas.
Preface – ESMO Solid Tumor 2022
At the ESMO congress held in Paris, France, and virtually from 9th – 13th September 2022, practice-changing data and high-quality education attracted more than 29,300 participants from over 150 countries.
Antigen targets for mRNA vaccines against cancer
Due to their crucial role in combating the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, mRNA vaccines are currently receiving a lot of attention and, so far, have been a great success for the companies developing them. Cancer research is another major application for mRNA vaccine technology. Immuno-oncology develops ways of directing the immune system to fight against cancer cells, thus expanding the possibilities of modern oncology.
Novel agents or combinations in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer
Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is a rare malignancy with an incidence of approximately 133,000 annually worldwide, resulting in about 80,000 deaths per year. Whereas early-stage and locally advanced NPC have a good prognosis, treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer is a challenging; it is thus associated with a poor prognosis, especially in patients who have failed two or more lines of systemic therapy, with a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of seven months and median overall survival (mOS) of 22 months.
Immune checkpoint blockade combined with chemotherapy in solid tumors
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a severe disease with poor outcomes since the majority of patients present with stage IV disease at diagnosis. Approved treatment options in the first-line setting of advanced NSCLC (aNSCLC) with wildtype EGFR/ALK include bevacizumab - a VEGF targeting monoclonal antibody - and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy.
Checkpoint inhibition: predictors, resistance and immunogenomic features
Immune checkpoints, such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4 (CTLA-4) or programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), downregulate T-cell responses and are crucial for self-tolerance, which protects the body against attacking cells indiscriminately. Tumor cells hijack this mechanism to evade the immune system through the activation of immune checkpoints and inhibition of the T-cell response.
