Podcast #33 · 4 Nov 2025
Keynote-689: Implementation & Multidisciplinary Care for Immunotherapy in Head & Neck Cancer
- Multidisciplinary Care
- Medical Oncology
- Head and Neck Surgery
- Head and Neck Oncology
- Pathology
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Head and Neck Cancer (HNC)
- Otolaryngology
- Radiology
- Tumor Board
- Resection
- Surgical Oncology
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.
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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.