Head and Neck Cancers

The FDA has approved a new biweekly dosing regimen of 500 mg/m2 as a 120-minute intravenous infusion for cetuximab (Erbitux) for patients with KRAS wild-type, EGFR-expressing colorectal cancer or squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Tipifarnib showed promising clinical activity in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic, HRAS-mutant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma whose disease had progressed after prior therapy.

The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to tipifarnib for use in patients with recurrent or metastatic HRAS-mutated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with variant allele frequency of 20% or higher following progressive disease on platinum-based chemotherapy.

Nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy as a frontline treatment demonstrated a significant survival benefit in patients with metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, or esophageal adenocarcinoma.

On Friday, the FDA expanded the approval for Gardasil 9 for the prevention of oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16,18,31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, according to Merck, the manufacturer of the vaccine.

Some oncology nurses are leading the improvement of survivorship care, a field that is becoming increasingly important in the world of cancer.

The FDA approved pembrolizumab to treat certain patients with recurrent, locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

The FDA approved pembrolizumab alone or in combination with 5-FU to treat recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Healthcare providers should not base cancer care with immune checkpoint inhibitors on gender, according to recent study findings.

A group of researchers in the UK sought out to determine the efficacy of a reduced-dose regimen of oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) and capecitabine (Xeloda) in this patient population through the randomized, phase III GO2 clinical trial.

The HPV vaccine is commonly associated with preventing cervical cancer, but it plays a major role in oral cancers, too.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) significantly improved overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy in patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent esophageal cancer that is refractory to or intolerant of fluoropyrimidine plus platinum-based therapy, according to topline findings of the phase III ATTRACTION-3 study.

BLU-667 appeared to be well-tolerated and had broad clinical benefit among patients with advanced, RET-altered solid tumors who progressed on prior therapies, according to study findings from a phase I clinical trial presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018.

Colleen O’Leary, MSN, RN, AOCNS, teaches nurses how to employ compassion and professionalism to improve quality of life for survivors with complex challenges.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) improved quality of life scores in most patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Sara Sargente found her calling at age 13, caring for her grandfather who had cancer. This oncology nurse navigator and winner of CURE® magazine's 2017 Extraordinary Healer® Award has never looked back.

As prevalence of HPV within the population rises, incidence of HPV-related cancers is expected to rise.

For the distress and depression that patients with head and neck cancer can experience, a gradual or "stepped" approach can help to improve quality of life and reduce costs.

NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly discusses how cancer touched his family with his diagnosis of head and neck cancer, and his involvement in Your Cancer Game Plan.

Patients with esophogeal cancers who received induction chemotherapy, followed by PET imaging to determine whether alternative chemotherapy was needed had improved pathologic complete response rates

Carly O’Brien, caregiver program coordinator for CancerCare, dicusses some of the best tips and resources to deal with some of the challenges of head and neck cancer.

For patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, induction chemotherapy plus reduced-dose radiation and weekly cetuximab brought improvements for swallowing and nutritional status along with complete clinical responses.

A blood test that tracks patients’ antibody levels could predict when oropharyngeal cancer is likely to recur during its earliest.

Immunotherapy agents are drastically changing the treatment landscape – and outcomes – of patients with head and neck cancers.

Bridgett Harr, CNP, explores some of the unique needs that patients with head and neck cancer face upon entering survivorship.

Nivolumab (Opdivo) has been granted FDA approval for the treatment of metastatic or squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

A "magic" mouthwash treatment of diphenhydramine, lidocaine, and antacid proved effective in reducing oral mucositis pain in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy.

Encouraging findings for PD-1 inhibitor–based immunotherapies for the treatment of patients with metastatic head and neck cancer are emerging from clinical studies.