ACTRIS Cell Therapy Lecture: Natural Killer (NK) Cell Therapeutics in Nasopharyngeal Cancer (NPC)
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an aggressive head and neck cancer,
primarily endemic in Singapore, Southeast Asia and Southern China. A
large majority (~70%) of NPC patients present with locally advanced
disease at diagnosis and carry a high risk of recurrence (~30%) following
definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). These relapses are highly lethal and
current chemotherapies can prolong progressive-free survival by only 6-8
months. Therefore, new therapies are necessary, either to treat
established recurrent disease or to prevent risk of relapses after definitive
chemoradiotherapy. Since NPC cells express high levels of epidermal
growth factor receptor (EGFR), cetuximab (an anti-EGFR monoclonal
antibody) can promote natural killer (NK) cell-mediated antibodydependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) via engagement of CD16. Another
strategy is to leverage NK cells to eradicate minimal residual disease or
MRM after definitive chemoradiotherapy for high risk locally advanced
NPC.
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