Immunotherapy response in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck with cranial nerve involvement
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Updated: Jul 28, 2025
Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
Nerea Lopetegui-Lia1, Danai Dima1, David Scott Buchberger2
1Department of Hematology/Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Background:
Metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) can be treated with immunotherapy (IO). Cranial nerve involvement (CNI) is uncommon in cSCC and is a poor prognostic factor. Our aim is to describe how patients with CNI respond to IO monotherapy and/or as an adjunct to RT.
Methods:
Under an IRB approved protocol, patients with histologically proven cSCC of the head and neck with CNI treated with IO were retrospectively reviewed.
Results:
Twelve patients were included and received cemiplimab or pembrolizumab. Eight patients had CNI at diagnosis, and 4 at time of recurrence after non-IO therapy. Best responses were complete response (1), partial response (7), stable disease (1), progressive disease (2), and pending response (1). Nine patients are alive, 6 of which remain on IO.
Conclusions:
In this cohort, IO showed clinical response in 83% of patients, indicating IO can be an effective monotherapy, reserving RT for instances of local failure after IO.
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