Lori J. Wirth, MD, is the medical director of the Center for Head and Neck Cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Clinical Perspectives for the Treatment of R/M NPC
March 13th 2025A panelist discusses how the integration of immunotherapy into recurrent/metastatic (R/M) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment requires careful patient monitoring for immune-related adverse events, strategic sequencing with other modalities, consideration of biomarker-guided approaches, and awareness of emerging combination strategies that may further improve outcomes, while ongoing research into novel immunotherapeutic agents, maintenance strategies, and treatment de-escalation protocols aims to optimize efficacy while minimizing toxicity in the evolving landscape of NPC management.
Treatment Paradigms in R/M NPC: The Role of Systemic Immunotherapy
March 13th 2025A panelist discusses how immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has revolutionized recurrent/metastatic (R/M) nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment through improved survival outcomes demonstrated in landmark trials such as JUPITER-02 with toripalimab and KEYNOTE-590 with pembrolizumab, emphasizing that although most patients benefit regardless of PD-L1 status or Epstein-Barr virus positivity, clinicians must carefully consider patient-specific factors, such as performance status and comorbidities, alongside the management of unique immune-related adverse events through early recognition, established treatment algorithms, and multidisciplinary collaboration to optimize outcomes in this evolving treatment landscape.
Treatment Landscape of Recurrent NPC: Evaluating First-Line Toripalimab in the Recurrent Setting
March 13th 2025A panelist discusses how treatment strategies for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) have evolved, with the updated NCCN guidelines now recommending toripalimab plus gemcitabine/cisplatin as category 1 first-line therapy for recurrent/metastatic (R/M) disease based on the JUPITER-02 trial results showing significantly improved 4-year overall survival (OS) rates of 48% vs 27.7% with chemotherapy alone, while emphasizing that treatment decisions should consider patient-specific factors, such as Epstein-Barr virus status, prior treatments, and comorbidities, alongside nonpatient factors, including drug accessibility, need for rapid response, and capacity to manage immune-related adverse events.
A 48-Year-Old Man With Recurrent NPC
March 13th 2025A panelist discusses how a 48-year-old man with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) presents with nasal congestion, epistaxis, neck swelling, and unilateral hearing issues, highlighting the importance of recognizing these symptoms in patients with a family history of NPC.
The Impact of Molecular Alterations in Advanced RAI-R-DTC Treatment Decision-Making
January 17th 2023Lori Wirth, MD, explains why the importance of molecular alterations in her treatment decision-making for a patient with advanced RAI-R-DTC, and the other factors she considers for an appropriate treatment.