Immunotherapy Using Mycobacterium w Vaccine in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: Illustrative Research

Rakesh Dhankhar; Kiran Dahiya; Om Parkash; Monica Verma; Abhishek Soni

Rakesh Dhankhar Department of Radiotherapy, Regional Cancer Centre, Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
Kiran Dahiya Department of Biochemistry, Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
Om Parkash Department of Radiotherapy, Regional Cancer Centre, Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
Monica Verma Department of Biochemistry, Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.
Abhishek Soni Department of Radiotherapy, Regional Cancer Centre, Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India.

Keywords: Immunotherapy, mycobacterium, head and neck cancer, squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

The oncological treatment has been advanced promisingly over the past decades. The patients may be treated with surgery, chemotherapy (CT), radiotherapy (RT) or combination of these treatment modalities. Immunotherapy for prevention and treatment of malignant disease is also in initial stage and has raised a hope that improving immune mechanism can be of use. Most suitable treatment modality for the patient is selected after the final diagnosis. The use of Mycobacterium w (Mw) vaccine in Head and neck cancer (HNC) is an effort to reduce treatment induced toxicity with resultant improvement in the response rate. Immunotherapy in the form of Mw vaccine may be useful as concurrent therapy with radical intent concomitant chemo radiation treatment to improve response rate with less side effects in patients suffering from locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.