Deciphering the Impact of RT/ICI Sequencing on Immune Dynamics and Response
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive cancer that affects the mouth, throat, and voice box. Despite intensive treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy, nearly half of patients with locally advanced disease experience cancer recurrence within two years. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are drugs that can help the immune system attack cancer, but most patients with HNSCC do not benefit from them. Together with Co-Principal investigator Lazar Vujanovic, PhD, our team is investigating whether the timing of immunotherapy in relation to radiotherapy is key to improving outcomes. In a recent clinical trial, patients who received immunotherapy after completing chemoradiation had better long-term tumor control than those who received both treatments at the same time. Our project aims to understand why treatment timing is critical. Using tumor samples from patients treated on this recent clinical trial and cutting-edge single-cell technologies, we are examining how immune cells, especially macrophages and dendritic cells, change depending on whether ICI is given during or after chemoradiation. These insights could inform more effective treatment sequencing and therapy combinations, helping shape future clinical trials aimed at improving cure rates for patients with HNSCC.
