Overcoming Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

ABSTRACT: Preclinical data suggest that head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) may evade immune surveillance and induce immunosuppression. One mechanism of immune evasion involves the expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in tumor and immune cells, which is, to date, the only biomarker routinely used in clinical practice to select patients with advanced HNSCCs more likely to benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy. Nonetheless, PD-L1 expression alone incompletely captures the degree of sensitivity of HNSCCs to PD-1 inhibitors. Most patients exposed to anti-PD-1 antibodies do not respond to therapy, suggesting the existence of mechanisms of de novo resistance to immunotherapy. Furthermore, patients that initially respond to PD-1 inhibitors will eventually develop acquired resistance t

SUBMITTER: Dos Santos LV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7973277 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature