Neoadjuvant Chemoimmunotherapy Improves Response Rates in Head and Neck Cancer.

Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel in locally advanced, resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma improves pathologic response rates versus chemotherapy or immunotherapy alone.

• Why it matters: Even after perioperative pembrolizumab approval for locally advanced, resectable disease, immunotherapy response rates remain low, leaving a need for better pre-surgical strategies.
• What they did: A single-arm phase II trial tested neoadjuvant nivolumab combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel, assessing pathologic response rates against historical comparisons to chemotherapy-only or immunotherapy-only approaches.
• The result: The improved pathologic response rates support neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy as a promising option for increasing tumor response before resection.

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