Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
Anticancer Res. 2024 Sep;44(9):3907-3912. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.17218.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a recently developed cancer treatment modality that selectively kills cancer cells and may induce a therapeutic host immune response. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of combining NIR-PIT with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for unresectable recurrent head and neck cancer.
Five patients underwent NIR-PIT at Ryukyu University Hospital between January 2022 and April 2024. These patients had unresectable recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Among these five patients, four received a combination NIR-PIT and pembrolizumab administration.
A total of seven lesions in the oropharynx and oral cavity were targeted. One patient was treated for three different target lesions. The best observed response (BOR) rate was 100%, with three complete responses and four partial responses. The most common treatment-related adverse event was Grade 1 or 2 local pain lasting one to two days postoperatively, which occurred in all patients. Grade 3 adverse events occurred in three cases (42.9%), including pneumonia, pharynx-cutaneous fistula, and trismus. Three patients received ICI therapy following NIR-PIT, achieving a 60% BOR rate. No immune-related adverse events were noted, and the aforementioned Grade 3 adverse events did not worsen during ICI therapy. At a median follow-up of 376 days (range=157-845 days), four target lesions showed no recurrence, while three had recurred. All five patients were alive, including three with no evidence of disease.
The combination of NIR-PIT and ICI therapy for unresectable recurrent head and neck cancer was feasible.
背景/目的：近红外光免疫治疗（NIR-PIT）是一种最近开发的癌症治疗方法，可选择性杀伤癌细胞，并可能诱导治疗性宿主免疫反应。本研究旨在确定将 NIR-PIT 与免疫检查点抑制剂（ICI）联合治疗不可切除的复发性头颈部癌症的可行性。
2022 年 1 月至 2024 年 4 月，琉球大学医院对 5 例患者进行了 NIR-PIT。这些患者患有不可切除的复发性头颈部鳞状细胞癌。在这 5 名患者中，有 4 名接受了 NIR-PIT 和 pembrolizumab 联合治疗。
共靶向治疗了口咽和口腔的 7 个病灶。1 名患者治疗了 3 个不同的靶病灶。最佳观察反应（BOR）率为 100%，完全缓解 3 例，部分缓解 4 例。最常见的治疗相关不良反应为术后 1-2 天出现的 1-2 级局部疼痛，所有患者均出现。3 例发生 3 级不良事件（42.9%），包括肺炎、咽皮瘘和牙关紧闭。3 例患者在 NIR-PIT 后接受了 ICI 治疗，BOR 率为 60%。未观察到免疫相关不良事件，ICI 治疗期间上述 3 级不良事件未恶化。在中位随访 376 天（范围 157-845 天）时，4 个靶病灶未复发，3 个复发。所有 5 例患者均存活，其中 3 例无疾病证据。
NIR-PIT 联合 ICI 治疗不可切除的复发性头颈部癌症是可行的。
