Next-generation HNSCC treatment
Advances in protein engineering, antibody conjugation, and targeted protein degradation have expanded the therapeutic toolkit for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma beyond conventional targeted therapeutics.
Emerging modalities, including bispecific antibodies, antibody–drug conjugates, and proximity-induced degraders, overcome resistance driven by pathway redundancy and nonenzymatic protein functions.
Increasing evidence links oncogenic signaling dependencies with immune evasion, positioning targeted therapies as active modulators of the tumor immune microenvironment.
In parallel, next-generation immune approaches, including cellular therapies, personalized vaccines, and photoimmunotherapy, are enabling more precise immune reprogramming beyond checkpoint blockade.
Collectively, these advances support mechanism-driven, multitarget therapeutic strategies in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
https://www.cell.com/trends/pharmacological-sciences/fulltext/S0165-6147(26)00236-1
