Head and Neck Cancers

Approvals in oncology during April included treatments for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and more.

Oncology nurses can encourage clinical trial enrollment for patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer, a rare and aggressive cancer type.

The FDA approved penpulimab-kcqx combination and monotherapy for non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The FDA has granted PYX-201 fast track designation for treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC after progression post-chemoimmunotherapy.

The FDA granted petosemtamab plus pembrolizumab breakthrough therapy status for PD-L1–positive recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

More excellent responses occurred for patients with low-risk thyroid cancer who had thyroidectomies without radioiodine vs treatment with radioiodine.

Nivolumab and hyaluronidase-nvhy (Opdivo Qvantig) was approved by the FDA for subcutaneous injection across approved solid tumor indications for nivolumab (Opdivo).

The NCCN Guidelines Version 1.2025 for Cancer of the Nasopharynx listed toripalimab plus chemotherapy as the standalone preferred regimen in the frontline treatment of patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

This retrospective, population-based study shows strong efficacy across multiple patient subgroups and different lines of therapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The complexity of postoperative delirium in patients with head and neck cancer may require several strategies including pain management and nutritional support, among others.

Treatment with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma provided responses with a manageable safety profile.

Ozuriftamab vedotin, an ROR2-targeted antibody drug conjugate, received fast track designation from the FDA for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Follow-up with cholesterol control and audiological assessments is suggested for cisplatin-treated patients with cancer.

The clinical practice guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology focuses on the use of definitive and postoperative radiation therapy in patients with HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

This traditional approval updates the accelerated approval that selpercatinib received in 2020 for this indication in patients 12 years and older.

Oncology nurses can aid in the identification and management of oral adverse effects from cancer therapies.

HPV vaccines in patients under the age of 40 may have lowered rates of HPV-related cancer compared with unvaccinated patients.

As symptom severity can vary by patient, it is key for nurses to increase assessment for early intervention of patients with head and neck cancer following treatment, according to Meredith Cummings, PhD(c), BSN, RN, OCN.

Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with atezolizumab after definitive local therapy did not see improvements in survival outcomes.

Throughout March, the FDA has approved drugs for the treatment of disease including lung, hematologic, esophageal, and gynecologic cancers.

Although frontline treatment with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab improved ORR and PFS, it did not improve OS when compared with placebo in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Oncology nurses play a crucial role in educating patients regarding risks and benefits of circulating-tumor HPV DNA biomarker testing.

Kristin Daly, MSN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, explains how providers approach staging and treatment decision-making in head and neck cancer.

Nurses can be empowered to advocate for methylene blue therapy as an effective oral mucositis pain relief treatment.

Data from a single-institution study showed that 98.6% of their patients with head and neck cancer experienced oral mucositis.

Melanie Taylor, APRN, and Mark Lin, APRN, share how they optimize strategies in caring for patients with lymphedema.

Incorporating frailty screenings into preexisting workflows may be an effective way to provide more holistic care to patients with head and neck cancer.

The FDA has approved toripalimab, with cisplatin and gemcitabine, and as a monotherapy, to treat adults with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The median progression-free survival was not reached with selpercatinib vs 16.8 months with other kinase inhibitors.