Pembrolizumab and its use in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer.

Abstract

Until recently, palliative options for the treatment of platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) have been cytotoxic chemotherapy and EGFR inhibitors. These agents offer limited efficacy with substantial toxicity. The development of novel immune checkpoint inhibitors has challenged the standard treatment. Pembrolizumab is a potent and highly selective humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1, an immune checkpoint receptor and its ligands PD-L1 and -2. In August 2016, the US FDA approved the use of pembrolizumab in R/M HNSCC following disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. This review highlights the pharmacology, therapeutic efficacy and tolerability data relevant to the use of pembrolizumab for the treatment of R/M HNSCC. Readers will gain greater insight into the HNSCC tumor microenvironment, available biomarkers, and learn about important clinical considerations associated with the use of pembrolizumab and similar immune checkpoint inhibitors.

• Authors: Siddharth Sheth, Jared Weiss
• Journal: Future oncology (London, England) (Future Oncol) Vol. 14 Issue 16 Pg. 1547-1558 (Jul 2018) ISSN: 1744-8301 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 29464975 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• pembrolizumab

Topics

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (analysis)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (drug therapy, pathology)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology)
• Humans
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
• Tumor Microenvironment (drug effects)