ESMO 2022 | ESMO 2022 highlights in head and neck cancer

Jean-Pascal Machiels, MD, PhD, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium, discusses key highlights in head and neck cancer from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2022 Congress. A phase II study (NCT03692325) of nivolumab for high-risk oral leukoplakia, an aggressive precancerous disease characterized by multifocal lesions and a high-risk of transformation to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The primary outcome was best overall response rate and secondary endpoints included cancer-free survival (CFS) and overall-survival (OS). Nivolumab yielded a best response of proliferative leukoplakia regression among 37% of patients with a favorable overall CFS. Additionally, a Phase II trial (NCT02022098) demonstrated a 5-year OS benefit in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA SCCHN) treated with xevinapant plus chemoradiotherapy compared to placebo plus chemoradiotherapy. The five-year results from the Phase III KEYNOTE-048 (NCT02358031) investigating pembrolizumab with or without chemotherapy for first-line treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) showed durable antitumor activity and manageable safety. This interview took place at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2022 Congress in Paris, France.

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