Emerging Role of Lenvatinib in Treating Platinum-Refractory Head and Neck Cancer in Resource-Limited Settings

Abstract Lenvatinib, an oral multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is currently being explored in the area of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Two-thirds of total patients are presented in the advanced stage leading to poor prognosis with conventional treatment. The addition of immunotherapy is the standard approach to it. However, in developing nations and resource-limited setups, affordability is the major concern. To encounter this, lenvatinib has become a novel cost-effective treatment for HNSCC. Lenvatinib targets a varied range of receptors including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor α, fibroblast growth factor receptor, KIT (stem cell factor receptor), and rearranged during transfection, all of which are involved in the pathogenesis of HNSCC leading to the establishment of its role in HNSCC. It inhibits angiogenesis in endothelial cells and proliferation in tumor cells. Instances of resistance were observed in monoreceptor targeting agents, which are also overcome by lenvatinib, leading to potent antitumor activity. Clinical studies are being conducted to establish the role of lenvatinib as a third-line therapy in HNSCC. In this review, we discuss the role of lenvatinib in resource-limited, platinum-refractory, and recurrent/metastatic HNSCC.