Head and neck cancer surgeon Leila Mady shares highlights from a JAMA Otolaryngology review that she and colleagues at the American Head and Neck Society authored, examining the role of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Emerging evidence supports using immunotherapy, particularly anti–PD-1 agents, before surgery. Questions surrounding this approach remain — including how best to assess treatment responses and emerging biomarkers like circulating tumor DNA. The results of the phase 3 KEYNOTE-689 trial led Mady and her colleagues to believe that we are on the brink of a new era for the field of head and neck cancer. #neoadjuvanttherapy #johnshopkins