Efficacy of Car T-Cell Therapy in Head and Neck Cancers- A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Cancer, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is “a large group of diseases characterized by the growth of abnormal cells beyond their usual boundaries that can then invade adjoining parts of the body and/or spread to other organs”. From extensive surgical excisions, radiotherapy, laser therapy to immunotherapies, various treatment strategies have been proposed and implemented so far but unfortunately none could improve the five year survival rate of the patients globally. Immunotherapy, being one amongst them, is a type of cancer treatment that boosts the body’s natural defenses to fight against cancer. The current concept of immunotherapy involves Chimeric antigen receptor or the CAR T-Cell therapy which involves alterations and modifications of T cells to fight cancer cells better. Until recently, the use of CAR T-cell therapy has been restricted to small clinical trials, largely in patients with advanced blood cancers and has also shown a promising window of hope in head and neck (especially oral) cancers as well. But these treatments have nevertheless captured the attention of the people because of the remarkable responses they have produced in some patients for whom all other treatments had stopped working. The current concept of immunotherapy involves the cancer vaccines making use of CAR T-cells which are the most powerful antigen presenting cells for the induction of antigen specific T cell response. This evidence based study therefore aims to highlight the clinical perspective of CAR T-Cell based immunotherapy in oral and other head and neck cancers. Aim: Assessment of efficacy of Car T-Cell Therapy in head and neck Malignancies. Research Question: Is Car T-Cell Therapy actually effective in treating head and neck cancers? Materials and Methods: Study sample included review of 70 research articles, based on scientific data bases from the English literature based COCHRANE collaboration having a definite RCT (Randomized Control Trial). The literature was studied, analyzed and assessed; comparison was made on their p (probability) values between various techniques in terms of their sensitivity and specificity. The articles were scrutinised based on the criterion for meta-analysis and finally 11 study articles were chosen for the study. Result and Conclusion: Due to its unique individual characteristics, it helps combat against the cancer cells at its very inception. Promises a complete and permanent cure for malignancies at the grass root level. It has a sensitivity and specificity of greater than 80-90% and enhances recovery rate from 40-50% to more than 90%. So on a bulls eye view, we can say that as the already existing techniques of oral cancer treatment are very superficial and not very significant, Car T-Cell therapy tends to bring about a paradigm shift in oral cancer treatment thereby giving a new ray of hope to cancer ailing patients.