Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent cancer with poor response to conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of HNSCC, but many patients still exhibit poor responses due to insu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Immunology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1573635/full |
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| author | Wenyue Chen Zhengqiang Li Jin Tang Shuguang Liu |
| author_facet | Wenyue Chen Zhengqiang Li Jin Tang Shuguang Liu |
| author_sort | Wenyue Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent cancer with poor response to conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of HNSCC, but many patients still exhibit poor responses due to insufficient T cell infiltration and impaired dendritic cell (DC) function within the tumor microenvironment. DCs are crucial for initiating anti-tumor immune responses, but their dysfunction in HNSCC leads to inadequate T cell activation and immune evasion. DC-based immunotherapy offers a promising approach to enhance ICIs therapy efficacy by improving DC function and enhancing T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. This review discusses the mechanisms underlying DC dysfunction in HNSCC, recent advances in DC-based immunotherapy, and the potential for combination therapies to overcome resistance to ICIs. Future strategies should focus on optimizing DC vaccines and developing personalized treatments to improve outcomes for HNSCC patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fa6be0c402404869ac92bd7e33c63a3c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-3224 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Immunology |
| spelling | doaj-art-fa6be0c402404869ac92bd7e33c63a3c2025-08-20T02:34:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-05-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15736351573635Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challengesWenyue ChenZhengqiang LiJin TangShuguang LiuHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a prevalent cancer with poor response to conventional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of HNSCC, but many patients still exhibit poor responses due to insufficient T cell infiltration and impaired dendritic cell (DC) function within the tumor microenvironment. DCs are crucial for initiating anti-tumor immune responses, but their dysfunction in HNSCC leads to inadequate T cell activation and immune evasion. DC-based immunotherapy offers a promising approach to enhance ICIs therapy efficacy by improving DC function and enhancing T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. This review discusses the mechanisms underlying DC dysfunction in HNSCC, recent advances in DC-based immunotherapy, and the potential for combination therapies to overcome resistance to ICIs. Future strategies should focus on optimizing DC vaccines and developing personalized treatments to improve outcomes for HNSCC patients.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1573635/fullhead and neck squamous cell carcinomadendritic cellimmunotherapycancer vaccinecell therapyimmune checkpoint inhibitors therapy |
| spellingShingle | Wenyue Chen Zhengqiang Li Jin Tang Shuguang Liu Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges Frontiers in Immunology head and neck squamous cell carcinoma dendritic cell immunotherapy cancer vaccine cell therapy immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy |
| title | Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges |
| title_full | Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges |
| title_fullStr | Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges |
| title_short | Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: advances and challenges |
| title_sort | dendritic cell based immunotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma advances and challenges |
| topic | head and neck squamous cell carcinoma dendritic cell immunotherapy cancer vaccine cell therapy immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1573635/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wenyuechen dendriticcellbasedimmunotherapyforheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinomaadvancesandchallenges AT zhengqiangli dendriticcellbasedimmunotherapyforheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinomaadvancesandchallenges AT jintang dendriticcellbasedimmunotherapyforheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinomaadvancesandchallenges AT shuguangliu dendriticcellbasedimmunotherapyforheadandnecksquamouscellcarcinomaadvancesandchallenges |