20.500.12556/DiRROS-19355 Combining radiotherapy and immunotherapy in definitive treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma review of current clinical trials Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presents as locally advanced disease in a majority of patients and is prone to relapse despite aggressive treatment. Since immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown clinically significant efficacy in patients with recurrent/metastatic HNSCC (R/M HNSCC), a plethora of trials are investigating their role in earlier stages of disease. At the same time, preclinical data showed the synergistic role of concurrently administered radiotherapy and ICIs (immunoradiotherapy) and explained several mechanisms behind it. Therefore, this approach is prospectively tested in a neoadjuvant, definitive, or adjuvant setting in non-R/M HNSCC patients. Due to the intricate relationship between host, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, each of these approaches has its advantages and disadvantages. In this narrative review we present the biological background of immunoradiotherapy, as well as a rationale for, and possible flaws of, each treatment approach, and provide readers with a critical summary of completed and ongoing trials. Conclusions. While immunotherapy with ICIs has already become a standard part of treatment in patients with R/M HNSCC, its efficacy in a non-R/M HNSCC setting is still the subject of extensive clinical testing. Irradiation can overcome some of the cancer%s immune evasive manoeuvres and can lead to a synergistic effect with ICIs, with possible additional benefits of concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy. However, the efficacy of this combination is not robust and details in trial design and treatment delivery seem to be of unprecedented importance. head and neck neoplasms immunoradiotherapy radiotherapy immunotherapy rak glave in vratu imunoradioterapija radioterapija imunoterapija true false true Association of Radiology and Oncology Ljubljana Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik by Authors Neznano 2024-07-16 11:08:41 2024-07-16 11:08:42 2024-07-17 03:59:13 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2020 0 0 str. 377-393, I no. 4 Vol. 54 2020 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2020-01-01 616-006 1318-2099 10.2478/raon-2020-0060 31441923 RAZ_Plavc_Gaber_2020.pdf RAZ_Plavc_Gaber_2020.pdf 1 886B69E9A0466504C670F4E44EDCD12A 6d9e360ed9363dcd9e169ba861f51027b13b6dba26f17cd518c0b8b3b227796e 69079297-4342-11ef-b487-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=26688 Onkološki inštitut Ljubljana 0 0 0