Therapeutic strategy for cancer immunotherapy in head and neck cancer

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy is one of the new prospective treatments for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This strategy can effectively induce anti-tumor effects. However, despite surveillance by the host immune system, tumor cells can develop and acquire malignant phenotypes, for example, invasion into stromal tissue, and metastasis to lymph nodes and distant organs. Tumors with oncogenic mutations and cellular heterogeneity actively suppress the host immune system with assistance from the tumor microenvironment, including regulatory T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and type II macrophages, leading to immunoediting and immunosuppression of the anti-tumor response in vivo . Accumulating evidence, obtained through the use of advanced immunological technology, has elucidated the interaction between tumor cells and the host immune system. Greater understanding of this interaction has given rise to new therapeutic interventions, including cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we compile recent findings from experimental and clinical studies of cancer immunotherapy and discuss whether cancer immunotherapy has been determined to be beneficial in HNSCC patients. Cancer immunotherapy, such as cancer vaccine, dendritic cell immunotherapy, and blockade of immune checkpoints, also plays a crucial role in treatments that have contributed to improving overall survival in HNSCC patients. Moreover, due to the direct improvement of tumor- or tumor microenvironment–mediated immunosuppression in HNSCC, cancer immunotherapy in combination with targeted therapy appears to be an effective and efficient therapeutic strategy. In Context The advanced genetic and immunological technologies have provided fresh insights into molecular mechanisms of tumor progression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Sufficient effector T cell activation induces effective antitumor immune response in cancer patients. However, recent researches have shown that immune checkpoints and tumor microenvironment in which regulatory T cell and myeloid-derived suppressor cells exist repress antitumor immune response. The knowledge of cancer biology and immunology helps to develop a therapeutic theory that cancer immunotherapy induces an antitumor immune response by modulating the host immune system. In addition, identification of these immunosuppressive functions has promoted the development of the next generation of cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we summarized data from experimental models and clinical trials associated with cancer immunotherapy in several types of cancer. These data indicated that cancer immunotherapy is capable of enhancing the anti-tumor immune response in patient. Moreover, we also discussed and explored the possibility of innovative cancer immunotherapy in HNSCC. This therapeutic approach may help us to improve survival rate in patients with HNSCC. Keywords: immunosurveillance; immunosuppression; tumor microenvironment; cancer vaccine; dendritic cell; immune checkpoints; chimeric antigen receptor therapy; targeted therapy (Published: 16 June 2015) Citation: Advances in Cellular and Molecular Otolaryngology 2015, 3: 27690 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/acmo.v3.27690