Immunotherapy with DNA vaccine shows promise for HPV-related head and neck cancer

A novel vaccine therapy can generate immune responses in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCCa), according to researchers at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The treatment specifically targets human papillomavirus (HPV), which is frequently associated with HNSCCa, to trigger the immune response. Researchers will present the results of their pilot study during the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago. HNSCCa is a cancer that develops in the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat. While smoking and tobacco use are known causes, the number of cases related to HPV infection – a sexually transmitted infection, the Centers for Disease Control says almost all sexually active adults will contract at some point in their lifetimes – is on the rise. The CDC now estimates 70 percent of all throat cancers in the United States are HPV-related. Sixty percent are caused by...