Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month: 2022 Immunotherapy Research Updates

CRI Lloyd J. Old STAR Greg Delgoffe, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is exploring the role of cell metabolism in the immune response to cancer. He recently contributed to a study in the Journal for the ImmunoTherapy of Cancer on the role of tumor hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) plays in resistance to checkpoint inhibitor treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. This analysis highlights not only a potential biomarker, but also a potential new target for drug development. 

This April for Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, discover the new research, new treatments, and progress for a future immune to head and neck cancer.

Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Update

At the CRI Virtual Immunotherapy Patient Summit last October, Dr. Nabil Saba, director of the head and neck oncology program at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, discussed checkpoint inhibitors, side effects, clinical trials, and other topics in head and neck cancer. 

Head and Neck Cancer Questions Answered

Dr. Saba didn’t have a chance to answer all the questions in his 40-minute session during CRI's patient summit, so we followed up with him afterwards to discuss rare cancers, length of treatment, and lymphedema. 

READ Q&A WITH DR. SABA

Head and Neck Cancer Patient Story

As the drummer for Poison, it was crucial for Rikki to keep his voice, so when considering his treatment options, he chose to enroll in an immunotherapy clinical trial. 

Head and Neck Cancer Scientist Spotlight

CRI Fellow David R. Glass, PhD, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is investigating the role of T cells targeting the Epstein-Barr virus in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma undergoing immune checkpoint blockade treatment. 

Discover David's Cancer Research

Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer Info Update

On April 7, 2021, the U.S. FDA approved a new dosage of the “naked” antibody cetuximab (Erbitux) in KRAS Wild-Type, EGFR-expressing head and neck cancers. As the research and treatment landscape evolves, we keep our information up to date. 

READ Head and Neck Cancer UPDATE

Find a Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Trial

A variety of new and promising cancer immunotherapy treatments are only available to patients in clinical trials. Help speed the development of potentially lifesaving drugs. Discover trials for which you or a loved one may be eligible with the CRI Immunotherapy Clinical Trial Finder.

FIND A Cancer Clinical TRIAL

Support Head and Neck Cancer Research

CRI Tech Impact Awardee Sidharth V. Puram, MD, PhD, of the Washington University School of Medicine is investigating molecular memory in order to overcome immunotherapy resistance in head and neck cancer. This Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, support lifesaving cancer immunotherapy research. 

DONATE to head and neck cancer research 

Banner photo by Shamin Haky on Unsplash