Journal: Nature communications
This phase II neoCHANCE-1 study evaluated neoadjuvant dual blockade of PD-1 and EGFR pathways using tislelizumab and afatinib in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC).
Among 23 evaluable patients:
- 35% achieved a major pathological response (MPR)
- 17% had a pathological complete response (pCR)
- 48% showed an overall response rate (ORR)
Common grade 3-4 adverse events included diarrhea, hypokalemia, and rash.
The combination demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile, supporting further investigation in this setting.