Immunological approaches to the treatment of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region (HNSCC)

Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region are characterised by a n acute or chronically inflamed infiltrate. Nevertheless, it appears that f or various reasons this infiltrate cannot eliminate the tumour cells, for i nstance due to immunosuppressive components produced by the tumour. While l ooking for new therapeutic strategies it should obviously be attempted to a ctivate this infiltrate by means of appropriate immunomodulators. We report on three therapeutic approaches aiming at such activation while malting us e of the human immune system. The methods utilise the techniques of in vivo and ex vivo gene transfer as well as the use of bispecific antibodies. Pre clinical studies have clearly pointed out so far that there is an efficient stimulation of the immune system resulting in a specific lysis of tumour c ells by means of T lymphocytes and accessory cells. This led us to evolve t wo clinical phase studies: 1. In-vivo gene therapy with human interleukin-2 plasmides by means of liposome-mediated gene transfer. 2. Immunotherapy wi th bispecific antibodies. Both studies are suitable for demonstrating their aim, namely, to test whether the medication is well tolerated. Although th ese efforts have only just begun, alternative possibilities of treatment sh ould also be investigated. New strategies for the benefit of patients suffe ring from malignomas must be tested via future multicentric phase II studie s irrespective of checking on the results obtained in the phase 1 studies.