[Current events in immunotherapy for upper aerodigestive tract cancer].

Abstract

Head and neck (HN) carcinomas (mostly represented by squamous cell carcinomas [SCC]) still have a poor prognosis, which could be dramatically improved with immunotherapy. Tumor's microenvironment changes, caused by many endogenous or exogenous events, can correlate with prognosis and therapeutic response. Here, we review recent data regarding HNSCC, nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) and salivary gland malignant tumors, all three being potential target of immunotherapies. About half of HNSCC exhibit PD-L1 expression, this expression being upregulated in HPV-positive tumors. In recent clinical trials, a better therapeutic response to anti-PD-1 has been obtained in patients with higher PD-L1 expression. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of these therapeutics without the screening of patients regarding PD-L1 status. Activation status, density and localisation of TIL as well as PD-L2, γ-interferon, inflammatory cytokines, epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype and mutational burden may all be potential therapeutic response markers. In Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-induced nasopharyngeal non-keratinizing cancer, PD-L1 is over-expressed compared to EBV negative-tumors. A 22 % response rate has been observed under anti-PD-1 treatment, among PD-L1-positive HNSCC patients. There is little data regarding microenvironment of salivary gland cancer. PD-L1 shows great heterogeneity in localisation, when expressed. A 11 % response rate has been obtained under anti-PD-1 treatment among PD-L1-positive NPC patients. A better understanding of immune checkpoint regulation processes needs to be achieved to allow patients with HN carcinomas to benefit from these promising immunotherapies.

• Authors: Sophie Outh-Gauer, Christophe Le Tourneau, Chloé Broudin, Florian Scotte, Hélène Roussel, Stéphane Hans, Marion Mandavit, Eric Tartour, Cécile Badoual
• Journal: Annales de pathologie (Ann Pathol) Vol. 37 Issue 1 Pg. 79-89 (Feb 2017) ISSN: 0242-6498 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Actualités sur l’immunothérapie en pathologie des voies aérodigestives supérieures.
• PMID: 28111039 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
• B7-H1 Antigen
• CD274 protein, human
• Cytokines
• Neoplasm Proteins
• PDCD1 protein, human
• Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological (therapeutic use)
• B7-H1 Antigen (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology)
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (drug therapy, therapy, virology)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cytokines (physiology)
• Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
• Epstein-Barr Virus Infections (drug therapy, immunology)
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (drug therapy, therapy, virology)
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Immunotherapy (methods, trends)
• Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating (immunology)
• Molecular Targeted Therapy
• Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (drug therapy, therapy, virology)
• Neoplasm Proteins (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology)
• Papillomaviridae
• Papillomavirus Infections (drug therapy, immunology)
• Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor (antagonists & inhibitors, immunology)
• Salivary Gland Neoplasms (drug therapy, therapy, virology)
• Tumor Microenvironment