Research Progress of SBRT Combined With Immunotherapy in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

The incidence of head and neck cancer ranks sixth among malignant tumors in the world. According to the GLOBOCAN 2020 database, there are about 930,000 new cases and 467,000 deaths per year. Among malignant head and neck tumors, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) comprises approximately 90% of cases. Between 70% and 80% of HNSCC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage (III or IV). Following comprehensive treatment, the recurrence rate within 2 years ranges from 40% to 60%. In cases of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC, the median survival period after traditional chemotherapy or targeted therapy is about 1 year, with a 5-year survival rate below 10%. However, several current trials are examining new tactics, such as better prediction biomarkers and combination strategies with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, additional immunotherapy, or radiotherapy, given the relatively poor response rate of immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy. Consequently, the research on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in conjunction with immunotherapy for locally advanced head and neck tumors is reviewed in this article.