Zalin Michael, Patel Shaan, Coggins Carter, Rai Vikrant
College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA.
Department of Translational Research, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA.
Antibodies (Basel). 2025 Apr 24;14(2):37. doi: 10.3390/antib14020037.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The increasing prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has necessitated a revaluation of therapeutic strategies. HPV-driven OPSCC differs from HPV-negative OPSCC due to its distinct molecular signatures, increased radiosensitivity, and better prognoses. However, despite these differences, treatment strategies have remained largely uniform, resulting in minimal reductions in morbidity and exposing HPV-positive patients to unnecessary toxicity. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have become a promising therapeutic option due to their ability to target treatment with fewer systemic side effects. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as pembrolizumab have shown efficacy in enhancing the immune response against tumors, while EGFR inhibitors like cetuximab offer an alternative modality. Current clinical trials aim to refine dosing regimens and identify combination strategies that may enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Despite promising evidence, several challenges hinder the widespread adoption of mAbs as a standard treatment for HPV-positive OPSCC in clinical practice. This review examines the current role of mAbs in HPV-positive OPSCC treatment, highlighting their limitations and future research directions.
Further studies are needed to optimize patient selection, establish standardized treatment protocols, and investigate the long-term benefits of mAb-based therapies in this patient population.
背景/目的：人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）阳性口咽鳞状细胞癌（OPSCC）的患病率不断上升，因此有必要重新评估治疗策略。HPV驱动的OPSCC与HPV阴性OPSCC不同，因其具有独特的分子特征、更高的放射敏感性和更好的预后。然而，尽管存在这些差异，治疗策略在很大程度上仍保持一致，导致发病率降低甚微，并使HPV阳性患者面临不必要的毒性。单克隆抗体（mAb）因其能够靶向治疗且全身副作用较少，已成为一种有前景的治疗选择。免疫检查点抑制剂（ICI）如帕博利珠单抗已显示出增强针对肿瘤的免疫反应的疗效，而表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）抑制剂如西妥昔单抗则提供了另一种治疗方式。目前的临床试验旨在优化给药方案并确定可能提高治疗效果的联合策略。
尽管有前景良好的证据，但仍有几个挑战阻碍了单克隆抗体在临床实践中作为HPV阳性OPSCC的标准治疗方法广泛应用。本综述探讨了单克隆抗体在HPV阳性OPSCC治疗中的当前作用，强调了其局限性和未来研究方向。
需要进一步研究以优化患者选择、建立标准化治疗方案，并调查基于单克隆抗体的疗法对该患者群体的长期益处。
