ASCO 2023 | What is the future of HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck cancer management?

Heath Devin Skinner, MD, PhD, Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA., discusses the two main avenues regarding the future of head and neck cancer. For HPV-positive tumors in a curative setting, many patients have exceptional oncologic outcomes. Despite this, over time the long-term effects of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy become apparent. For HPV-negative tumors, the opposite is true in terms of oncologic outcomes. This poses the question of how current curative intent therapies can be combined to improve patient outcomes. Recent trials have investigated the combination of chemoradiation and immune-targeted therapy with mixed results. In order to improve outcomes for HPV-negative setting, future studies should explore which other agents can be combined with chemoradiation to improve patient outcomes without extreme toxicity. This interview took place at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2023 Annual Congress in Chicago, IL.

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