Advances in treatment of head and neck cancer: an interview with Dr. Argiris -
Interview by April Cashin -Garbutt , MA (Cantab)
Prof. Athanassios Argiris THOUGHT LEADERS SERIES ... overview of the world's foremost experts If you please can you give a brief history of the treatment of head and neck cancer?
patients with head and neck cancer usually present with locally advanced disease and often require more than one type of treatment, which may include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
traditional treatments can result in many acute and late complications, and their success is rather limited. Especially in the context of recurrence or spread to other organs disease, there is a minimal curative potential
What recent advances have been announced to improve these treatments?
The introduction of the receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGFR) inhibitors ago 10 years was a milestone in the treatment of head and neck cancer. A monoclonal antibody against EGFR, was the first targeted agent to show survival benefit is
Very recently, checkpoint inhibitors in combination with radiotherapy in locally advanced disease or in combination with chemotherapy for recurrent / metastatic disease. Immune, a class of drugs that stimulate the immune system against cancer, has produced a very encouraging antitumor activity. In a randomized phase III trial presented recently that many patients with recurrent / metastatic head and neck cancer who have previously received a PD-1 inhibitor demonstrated a survival benefit compared to standard treatment. This is another important step for the therapy head and neck cancer.
What impact do you think these developments will have on patients with cancers of the head and neck?
The ideal scenario is to develop effective treatments that do not cause significant side effects. Cure the patient is a priority, but is currently achievable in about half of patients with locally advanced disease and very rarely in patients with recurrence.
Hopefully, new therapies with long-term survival can be achieved even for patients with recurrent / metastatic head and neck cancer.
What further research is needed to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of cancer of the head and neck and improve treatment?
There is still much to learn about the biology of head and neck. human papillomavirus, for example, appears to be important in influencing the natural history and prognosis. However, at this moment, we lack predictive molecular markers that help in approaches tailored optimally.
Future studies in laboratory and clinical study the targeted agents resistance mechanisms and very likely lead to a new generation of active therapies
medicine How much impact do you think will customize the treatment of head and neck cancers mobile strikers?
Head and neck cancer treatment must be personalized. It is expected that improved patient selection is essential to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks.
What do you think the future for the treatment of head and neck cancer?
We have entered the era of -Oncology shelter. There is the excitement warranted and vigorous clinical trials of immunotherapy agents. Harnessing the immune system and use it in the benefit of a patient is a very important task ahead.
Other important molecular targets and new agents are identified and studied in the clinic. As a physician, I am particularly pleased to be able to offer new treatment options to my patients
where readers find more information
- ASCO website - https:.? // Www .asco.org /
- NCI - http://www.cancer.gov/
About Prof. Argiris
from 1994 to 2013, he held positions in prestigious academic institutions in the United States where he held leadership roles distinguished in oncology. It was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and serves as the principal investigator for several clinical trials completed and assets with national NCI cooperative groups funded by the United States.
In 2014, he returned to his home country of Greece to join the medical staff at Hygeia Hospital in Athens, Greece, as a consultant in medical oncology. He was elected Visiting Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Crete and is an assistant professor at the University of Texas. In 2016, he also held a professorship at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, USA.
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