Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have partially improved treatment outcomes for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but the response rate remains low, with only a few patients benefiting. Mechanistically, HNSCC tumor cells often exhibit defects in antigen presentation, while the tumor microenvironment imposes multiple barriers that restrict immune cell infiltration. In addition, the interplay between immune checkpoints and immunosuppressive cells further exacerbates immune exhaustion, thereby limiting the efficacy of immunotherapy. Meanwhile, clinical treatment of HNSCC faces significant shortcomings in predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy, formulating personalized treatment plans, and managing patients effectively. This review systematically summarizes the major obstacles encountered in HNSCC immunotherapy and explores potential strategies to overcome them, with the aim of enhancing therapeutic efficacy. By overcoming immune barriers at the molecular mechanistic level, combining effective immunotherapy efficacy prediction strategies, and leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, the aim is to comprehensively enhance the treatment outcomes of HNSCC.

Keywords

Artificial intelligenceBiomarkersImmune checkpoint inhibitorsImmune exhaustTumor microenvironment

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Publication Info

Year
2025
Type
article
Volume
169
Pages
115988-115988
Citations
0
Access
Closed

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Cite This

Zhen Tian, Hao Cui, Lan Zhang et al. (2025). Decoding strategies for enhancing immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. International Immunopharmacology , 169 , 115988-115988. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2025.115988

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.intimp.2025.115988
PMID
41380196

Data Quality

Data completeness: 81%