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Expert Guidance on Navigating the Evolving Head and Neck Cancer Treatment Continuum: What Matters Now and How to Apply It in Practice

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This activity examines the distinct biology, prognosis, and treatment needs of HPV-associated and HPV-unrelated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) across locoregionally advanced and recurrent/metastatic disease. Expert faculty review evidence supporting evolving multimodality strategies, including perioperative pembrolizumab from KEYNOTE-689, postoperative nivolumab with chemoradiotherapy from NIVOPOSTOP, and investigational neoadjuvant immunotherapy combinations, while discussing the importance of PD-L1 CPS, treatment timing, pathologic response, and risk-adapted postoperative therapy. Faculty also evaluate established treatment sequencing based on KEYNOTE-048 and emerging approaches for recurrent/metastatic HNSCC, including EGFR-, MET-, TGF-β–, and LGR5-directed therapies and antibody–drug conjugates, with attention to efficacy, safety, biomarker limitations, and supportive care. These data help learners individualize therapy while balancing survival, response urgency, toxicity, organ preservation, and functional outcomes.

Physician Assistants/Physician Associates: 1.50 AAPA Category 1 CME credits

Pharmacists: 1.50 contact hours (0.15 CEUs)

ABIM MOC: maximum of 1.50 Medical Knowledge MOC points

Physicians: maximum of 1.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits

Nurse Practitioners/Nurses: 1.50 Nursing contact hours

Released: August 10, 2026

Expiration: February 09, 2027

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Provided by Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education

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Supporters

This activity is supported by educational grants from Johnson & Johnson and Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC.

Johnson & Johnson

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Target Audience

This activity is intended for head and neck surgeons, oncologists, nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the multidisciplinary care of patients with HNSCC and related head and neck malignancies.

Program Learning Goal

This activity aims to improve learners’ knowledge, competence, and confidence in interpreting current and emerging evidence in HNSCC (and related head and neck malignancies) and applying that evidence to evidence-based, multidisciplinary, and patient-centered treatment planning across the disease continuum.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Interpret current and emerging clinical evidence in HNSCC and distinguish established standards from evolving investigational approaches

  • Apply guideline-informed treatment strategies across resectable, recurrent, and metastatic HNSCC settings

  • Individualize treatment selection and sequencing based on clinical context, biologic risk, and likely mechanisms of resistance

  • Anticipate, recognize, and manage treatment-related and immune-related adverse events to support patient safety, treatment continuity, and quality of life

  • Incorporate multidisciplinary and supportive care strategies into treatment planning to improve functional and patient-centered outcomes

Financial Disclosures

Decera Clinical Education requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose all financial conflicts of interest (COI) they may have with ineligible companies. All relevant COI are thoroughly vetted and mitigated according to Decera Clinical Education policy. Decera Clinical Education is committed to providing its learners with high-quality CME/CE activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of an ineligible company.

The faculty reported the following relevant financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they have with ineligible companies related to the content of this educational activity:

Primary Author

Barbara Burtness, MD: consultant/advisor/speaker: Bicara, Genmab, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, One Carbon, Rakuten, Takeda; data and safety monitoring board: Merus.

Robert Haddad, MD: consultant/advisor/speaker: AbbVie, ALX Oncology, Astellas, AstraZeneca, AVEO, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene, EMD Serono, Eisai, Genmab, Genzyme, GSK, Johnson & Johnson/Janssen, Merck, PDS Biotechnology, RAPT Therapeutics, Scholar Rock; researcher (paid to institution): AstraZeneca, AVEO, Bristol Myers Squibb, EMD Serono, Genentech, GSK, Incyte, Kura, Merck, Merus, Pfizer; data and safety monitoring board: Boehringer Ingelheim, Hookipa, Incyte, ISA, Nanobiotix.

Ari J. Rosenberg, MD: consultant/advisor/speaker: Adela, Astellas, Bicara, Coherus, Corbus, Eisai, EMD Serono, Exelixis, Galectin, GeoVax, Janssen, Nanobiotix, Novartis, Privo, RAPT, Regeneron, Summit, Vaccitech.

The planners and content peer reviewers from Decera Clinical Education do not have any relevant financial relationships to disclose, except Kristi K. Orbaugh, MSN, NP, AOCNP, as noted below:

Kristi K. Orbaugh, MSN, NP, AOCNP: speaker: AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, DSI, Exelixis, Lilly, Pfizer, Stemline.

Instructions for Credit

Participation in this self-study activity should be completed in approximately 1.5 hours. To successfully complete this activity and receive credit, participants must follow these steps during the period from August 10, 2026, through February 09, 2027:

  1. Login or Sign Up for an account by clicking at the top of this page.
  2. Read the target audience, learning objectives, and faculty disclosures.
  3. View and study the content in its entirety.
  4. Submit answers to the posttest questions and evaluation questions online.

You must receive a test score of at least 65 and respond to all evaluation questions to receive a certificate. After submitting the evaluation, you may access your online certificate by selecting the certificate link on the confirmation page. Records of all CME/CE activities completed can be found on the "My Certificates" page. There are no costs/fees for this activity.

Format

This program has been made available online.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. The planners of this activity do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of the planners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Additional Disclosures

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications and/or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Accreditation

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician Continuing Medical Education

Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Nursing Continuing Professional Development activity is 1.5 contact hours.

Continuing Pharmacy Education

Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education designates this continuing education activity for 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEUs) of the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. Universal Activity Number: JA4008176-0000-26-444-H01-P 

Type of Activity: Application

Upon successfully completing the post-test with a score of 65% or better and the activity evaluation form, transcript information will be sent to the NABP CPE Monitor Service within 60 days.

Physician Associate Continuing Medical Education

Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until February 09, 2027. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

American Board of Internal Medicine Maintenance of Certification 

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Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.5 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

For ABIM MOC points, your information will be shared with the ABIM through Decera Clinical Education’s Joint Accreditation Program and Activity Reporting System (JAPARS). Please allow 6-8 weeks for your MOC points to appear on your ABIM records.

By sharing your Diplomate Board ID # and DOB, you are giving Decera Clinical Education permission to use this information/data to report your participation to these Boards via the Joint Accreditation Program and Activity Reporting System (JA-PARS).

IPCE Credit Designation

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This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.5 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.

CME Passport

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The CME credits that physicians earn from this activity will be submitted to ACCME's CME Passport, a free, centralized web application where you can create a personalized account to view, track, and generate transcripts of your reported CME credit. Visit www.cmepassport.org to create your account.