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Current Treatment Options in Oncology
Published in: Current Treatment Options in Oncology 9/2023

Open Access 15-06-2023 | Nasopharyngeal Cancer

Recurrent/Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treatment from Present to Future: Where Are We and Where Are We Heading?

Authors: Juan Jose Juarez-Vignon Whaley, MD, Michelle Afkhami, MD, Mykola Onyshchenko, MD, PhD, Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS, Sagus Sampath, MD, Arya Amini, MD, Diana Bell, MD, Victoria M. Villaflor, MD

Published in: Current Treatment Options in Oncology | Issue 9/2023

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Opinion statement

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is distinct in its anatomic location and biology from other epithelial head and neck cancer (HNC). There are 3 WHO subtypes, which considers the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and other histopathology features. Despite the survival benefit obtained from modern treatment modalities and techniques specifically in the local and locally advanced setting, a number of patients with this disease will recur and subsequently die of distant metastasis, locoregional relapse, or both. In the recurrent setting, the ideal therapy approach continues to be a topic of discussion and current recommendations are platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Phase III clinical trials which led to the approval of pembrolizumab or nivolumab for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) specifically excluded NPC. No immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, to date, has been approved by the FDA to treat NPC although the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommendations do include use of these agents. Hence, this remains the major challenge for treatment options. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is challenging as it is really 3 different diseases, and much research is required to determine best options and sequencing of those options. This article is going to address the data to date and discuss ongoing research in EBV + and EBV – inoperable recurrent/metastatic NPC patients.
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Metadata
Title
Recurrent/Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treatment from Present to Future: Where Are We and Where Are We Heading?
Authors
Juan Jose Juarez-Vignon Whaley, MD
Michelle Afkhami, MD
Mykola Onyshchenko, MD, PhD
Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS
Sagus Sampath, MD
Arya Amini, MD
Diana Bell, MD
Victoria M. Villaflor, MD
Publication date
15-06-2023
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Treatment Options in Oncology / Issue 9/2023
Print ISSN: 1527-2729
Electronic ISSN: 1534-6277
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-023-01101-3

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