Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a heterogeneous group of upper aerodigestive tract malignancies, is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Tobacco use and alcohol consumption were the most identified risk factors of HNSCC. However, human papilloma virus, a sexually transmitted infection, has been determined as another primary cause of HNSCC. Early-stage disease is treated with surgery or radiotherapy. Recurrent or metastatic HNSCC is associated with poor prognosis with a median overall survival of 10 months. The EXTREME protocol is commonly used in first-line setting. Recently, pembrolizumab, an anti-programmed death-1 agent, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with disease progression on or after a platinum-based therapy. It demonstrated a durable objective response rate with a good safety profile and quality of life. Many ongoing trials are evaluating the use of pembrolizumab for the treatment of HNSCC in various indications such as adjuvant and neoadjuvant setting, maintenance and recurrent disease, alone or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation and targeted therapy. Finding those biomarkers predictive of response to immune checkpoints inhibitors has been a major concern. However, markers have been identified, such as PD-L1 expression, human papilloma virus infection, interferon-γ signature score, microsatellite instability and neoantigen production.

The combination of carmustine, etoposide, aracytin, and melphalan(BEAM) conditioning regimen in autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) is widely used in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin lymphoma. It is also an option in patients with very-high risk aggressive NHL in first complete remission (CR). Recently, a phase Ib-II feasibility study using bendamustine replacing carmustine (BCNU) was reported. We report herein a safety and efficacy analysis of bendamustine-EAM (BeEAM) with a control BEAM counterpart paired cohort (1/2). One hundred and two patients were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were not reached and seemed to be comparable between both groups. However, grade III or greater diarrhea was significantly higher in BeEAM patients (44 vs. 15%, p = .002). The median number of days with fever >38 °C was significantly higher in BeEAM group (5.5 vs. 2, p < .001). This case-control study suggests that BeEAM followed by ASCT using bendamustine at 100 mg/m/d is effective but has a different toxicity profile than the BEAM regimen.

We summarize in this paper the major irAEs of ICI described in the literature, their association with different agents of ICI and their correlation with clinical outcome in multiple indications "

CRC with BM is an aggressive disease resistant to standard treatment and is associated with poor outcomes. Adding antiangiogenic therapy might be of value for those patients. Patients with BM developing early in the disease course might respond better to treatment.