F26: Cancer Immunotherapy: Considerations for Oral Healthcare Providers

Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and almost 50,000 men and women will develop HNSCC this year in the US alone. Unfortunately, only two-thirds of these HNSCC patients will survive more than five years, a statistic that has not changed in decades despite advances in surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. The first generation “STINGel” showed surprising efficacy in a challenging murine model of HNSCC. This presentation will discuss the clinical rationale driving the development of this approach, preclinical models we have used to test this biomaterials-based strategy, and considerations for the design of a next-generation hydrogel formulation to treat HNSCC.

Educational Objectives:

• Provide members of the audience with a description of the complex tumor immune and mechanical microenvironment and how cancer cells interact with both immune and stromal cells in the context of immune escape.
• Discuss the concept of immunotherapy and novel immunotherapy-based approaches in cancer treatment.
• Highlight the potential of cross-discipline collaboration in immunotherapy by engaging various disciplines of basic and translational research, as well as, clinician-scientists, and clinicians.