Vanita Noronha MD; ASCO 2026: Ultra-Low Dose Immunotherapy Extends Life with Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer at Low Cost for Patients in Low and Middle Income Countries

CHICAGO, USA—Although recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancers respond well to palliative chemotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibition, this approach may be un-affordable in low and middle income countries. But a randomized phase three trial from India reported a pragmatic solution at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Ultra-low doses of pembrolizumab immunotherapy along with “triple oral metronomic chemotherapy” were found to bring good palliation and longer survival according to Vanita Noronha MD, Professor of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India, as she explained to Peter Goodwin.