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Expert Perspectives on Questions From Healthcare Professionals on Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Management

Clinical Thought

This expert commentary examines key clinical decision points in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (HNC) based on questions submitted by healthcare professionals, including management of locoregional recurrence after prior definitive therapy. Topics include first-line treatment selection based on PD-L1 CPS, disease burden, and symptoms; interpretation and potential repeat testing of PD-L1 CPS; management after salvage surgery in patients with high-risk pathologic features but no measurable disease; and treatment decisions following progression on pembrolizumab. The expert Q&A also addresses the limitations of PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker, the role of multidisciplinary evaluation, and the importance of distinguishing limited or uncertain progression from clear treatment failure.

Released: August 20, 2026

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Faculty

Robert Haddad

Robert Haddad, MD

Chief, Division of Head and Neck Oncology
McGraw Chair in Head and Neck Oncology
Institute Physician
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts
Victoria M. Villaflor

Victoria M. Villaflor, MD

Director, Head and Neck Oncology
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine
UCI Health
Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Orange, California

Provided by

Provided by Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education.

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Supporters

Supported by educational grants from Coherus BioSciences, Inc. and Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC.

Coherus BioSciences, Inc.

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Target Audience

This program is intended for oncologists, nurse practitioners, physician associates, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals caring for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancers.

Learning Objectives

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

  • Identify patients with locally advanced HNC who are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy using predictive and/or prognostic biomarkers

  • Recommend personalized treatment strategies that leverage immunotherapy for patients with locally advanced HNC, guided by the latest clinical evidence, expert recommendations, and patient factors

  • Implement collaborative care approaches across multidisciplinary teams to enhance patient-centered management of locally advanced HNC, including effective care coordination, supportive care, and patient/caregiver education

  • Manage immune-related adverse events associated with immunotherapy-based treatments to maximize quality of life and clinical outcomes in each patient with locally advanced HNC

Financial Disclosures

Primary Author

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.

Victoria M. Villaflor, MD: consultant/advisor/speaker: Coherus, Daiichi Sankyo/Lilly, Summit; individual publicly traded stock/stock options: AbbVie.

Additional Disclosures

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used for drafting educational content and revising or refining educational content. All AI-assisted content underwent human review, editing, and validation by qualified faculty and accredited education staff to ensure scientific accuracy, balance, and compliance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.