Ep. 247 Keynote 689: Implementation & Multidisciplinary Care for Immunotherapy in Head & Neck Cancer with Dr. Adam Luginbuhl, Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Dr. Mihir Patel and Dr. Siddharth Sheth

When treating head and neck cancer, how can you tell the difference between true disease progression and pseudoprogression? In this episode of the BackTable Podcast, we discuss the practical implementation of the KEYNOTE-689 trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which demonstrated the benefit of adding neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy to standard head and neck cancer care. Our tumor board panel includes Dr. Mihir Patel, a head and neck surgeon from UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. Siddharth Sheth, a head and neck medical oncologist from UNC, Dr. Jennifer Johnson, a professor of medical oncology and otolaryngology at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Dr. Adam Luginbuhl, a head and neck surgical oncologist at Thomas Jefferson University. --- SYNPOSIS The doctors address the trial's practical implications, patient selection, case management, dealing with tumor progression, and the integration of multidisciplinary care. They also emphasize the importance of communication, real-world application of trial protocols, and the potential benefits and challenges of such therapies. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction03:18 - Discussing the New Indication for Immunotherapy11:42 - Challenges and Practical Implementation22:48 - Managing Tumor Progression: A Case Study28:07 - Exploring Treatment Options: Surgery vs. Chemotherapy36:46 - Operational Challenges and Future Directions43:58 - Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions --- RESOURCES Keynote 689https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2415434