immunotherapy – Head and Neck Network

NEWLY APPROVED HEAD AND NECK CANCER TREATMENT IMPROVES CARE FOR FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS

Head & Neck — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 08:40:39 +0000

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended an immunotherapy to treat advanced head and neck cancer for use on the NHS in England.
In final draft guidance, published on 24 March 2026, NICE approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda; MSD), an IV infusion for patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA HNSCC).
Commenting on the recommendation, a spokesperson for MSD said it was the “first time a new treatment option has shown improved outcomes above the standard of care in LA HNSCC in over 20 years, and is the first recommended perioperative immunotherapy for LA HNSCC in the UK”.
NICE recommended the treatment for use before surgery, after surgery with radiotherapy and with or without chemotherapy.
Head and neck cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the UK, with 12,800 new cases annually.
Of all head and neck cancers, 90% of these are squamous cell carcinomas, which means they develop from epithelial cells that line areas of the head and neck, such as the mouth, throat and voice box.
Standard treatments for the head and neck cancer include surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.
Tamara Kahn, chair of the Head and Neck Coalition, a group of 15 members comprising charities, support groups, healthcare associations and other stakeholders, said: “This recommendation is an important moment for people living with head and neck cancer in England. Treatment can be gruelling, and many people are left dealing with lasting challenges in speaking, eating and everyday interaction long after treatment ends.

For the head and neck cancer community, this brings real hope, not just in treating the cancer but in the possibility that fewer people may face the most severe long-term effects after treatment.”

Full article: https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/news/newly-approved-head-and-neck-cancer-treatment-improves-care-for-first-time-in-more-than-20-years

MRNA CANCER VACCINES

Head & Neck — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:41:43 +0000

Personalised mRNA cancer vaccines are still in development. They are designed to teach and activate the body’s immune system to recognise, hunt down and attack cancer cells.

Cancer vaccines are a class of immunotherapy that is still in development. No cancer vaccines are currently licenced for use in standard cancer care – patients can only access them through clinical trials.

Unlike traditional vaccines (such as for flu or COVID-19), cancer vaccines are not designed to prevent the disease. They are being designed and tested as a potential new way to treat cancer.

NATURAL KILLER CELLS AND CANCER

Head & Neck — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 09:50:58 +0000

NATURAL KILLER CELLS AND CANCER

Natural Killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in the immune system’s defense against cancer.
They induce cancer cell death primarily through two mechanisms: apoptosis and necrosis.
Apoptosis is a programmed, non-infiammatory form of cell death, while necrosis is a more abrupt and inflammatory process.
In many cases, NK cells can trigger a combination of both, leading to mixed forms of cell death.
This dual capability allows NK cells to effectively target and destroy a wide range of tumor cells.
Their ability to act without prior sensitization makes them vital for early cancer surveillance and immunotherapeutic strategies.

Video credit – “Journal of Biological Chemistry “ and world_of_biology_wob

T CELL DYNAMICS WITH NEOADJUVANT IMMUNOTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Head & Neck — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 14:56:34 +0000

T CELL DYNAMICS WITH NEOADJUVANT IMMUNOTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown to be safe with promising early trial results in patients with locally advanced, resectable human papillomavirus-unrelated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are being tested as neoadjuvant therapies in various solid tumours, including in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with promising results.

This approach is well-tolerated with favourable clinical outcomes including promising pathological response rates in initial studies. Pathological responses are likely to be increased by combining other agents with anti-PD-(L)1 antibodies.

Data suggest that pretreatment intratumoural tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells are key drivers of tumour regression and give rise to both local and systemic antitumour immune responses.

Analyses of systemic responses have defined a PD-1+KLRG1− circulating CD8+ T cell subpopulation that is highly predictive of response, and revealed the interrelationships between intratumoural clones and circulating CD8+ T cells.

Lastly, interrogation of T cell populations within lymph nodes is beginning to delineate the immune crosstalk between the primary tumour and tumour-draining lymph nodes and how this relationship might be disrupted with tumour infiltration of the latter.

Source https://www.nature.com/articles/s41571-024-00969-w