Update on immunology of head and neck cancer

The history of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer is filled with disappointing results and clinical trials of nonspecific immunotherapeutic protocols. Most of these protocols did not concern themselves with some of the possible underlying etiologies of immunosuppression, such as alcoholism, malnutrition, aging, and the oncologic therapies that the patients were undergoing. These factors must be appreciated, and attempts must be made to deal with their devastating effects. It is also becoming increasingly apparent that the humoral immune system does have a major impact on the effectiveness of the cellular immune system, and that the various components of this system need to be more fully understood. The complexity of these interactions will probably not allow for an effective immunotherapeutic protocol to be attained in the near future. It is, however, more likely that the establishment of immunoprognosis and immunodiagnosis may be achieved as these complex interactions are more fully identified and understood.