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

Nancy Y. Lee, MD, vice chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the impact of immunotherapy in head and neck cancer.

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo) are both FDA-approved for the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer. The impact of these immunotherapy agents, says Lee, is that patients are living longer—whereas in the past they would have succumbed to their disease.

After immunotherapy is given, says Lee, the makeup of the patient is different—allowing some to respond to other types of therapies.