Dr. Haigentz on the Impact of Immunotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Missak Haigentz, MD, chief of Hematology and Oncology at Morristown Medical Center, medical director of Atlantic Hematology and Oncology for Atlantic Medical Group at the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center, discusses the impact that immunotherapy has had on the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the way that cancer is approached, says Haigentz. Five years ago, the only treatments available for patients with head and neck cancer were traditional chemotherapy and targeted therapies like cetuximab (Erbitux). Success with immunotherapy has been experienced across tumor types including melanoma and lung cancer, as well as head and neck cancer.

Haigentz says that immunotherapy has provided an opportunity to improve survival, particularly in those with incurable disease. Immunotherapy is impacting both the curative and non-curative setting, improving patient outcomes across the board. Viewing cancer as a genetic- and immune-based disease is the future of therapy, concludes Haigentz.