[Medical tumor therapy for head and neck cancer: between standardization and personalization]

In the field of systemic cancer therapy for head and neck neoplasms, new approvals have led to several changes in treatment standards, primarily in the palliative situation. At the same time, molecular biomarkers have been established that can contribute to therapeutic decision-making in addition to clinical factors. These developments are summarized, and potential strategies to resolve the tension between standardization and personalization are described. Results from randomized phase III studies with therapeutic antibodies targeting the PD1/PD-L1 axis in combination with definitive chemoradiation are described and discussed. Finally, inspired by the press release about the positive results of the neoadjuvant KEYNOTE-689 trial in locoregionally advanced resectable disease, potential measures and suggestions for integrating neoadjuvant immunotherapy into clinical routine are discussed.