Immunotherapy: The Fourth Domain in Oral Cancer Therapeutics

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Head and Neck Cancer Research

Background:

• Oral cancer, a subset of head and neck cancers, has high global prevalence, incidence, and mortality.
• Immune-modulatory therapies, harnessing the patient's immune system, present a promising avenue for oral cancer treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the potential of immunotherapy as a fourth-line therapeutic modality for oral cancer.
• To review existing literature on immunotherapy applications in oral cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in MEDLINE and Google Scholar.
• Included studies comprised clinical trials, meta-analyses, and preclinical research (human, animal, cell line) published in peer-reviewed journals.
• A total of 97 relevant articles were included in the review.

Main Results:

• Various immunotherapies have been explored in oral cancer studies and clinical trials.
• Identifying precise biomarkers for genome-based targeted agents is essential.
• Parameters for selecting patients likely to benefit from immunotherapy require further definition.

Conclusions:

• Immunotherapy holds significant potential as a future treatment for oral cancer.
• Further research is needed to establish predictive values for tumor mutational burden and mutational signatures for personalized treatment response.
• Optimizing patient selection is key to maximizing immunotherapy efficacy in head and neck cancer.