Expert consensus on neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy for resectable locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of malignant tumors and is now recognized as a first-line option for various cancers. In resectable locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), neoadjuvant immunotherapy has been integrated into clinical practice, representing significant progress. While neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy shows promising efficacy in this setting, several critical challenges remain unresolved. These include defining optimal endpoints and response evaluation methods, identifying and managing hyperprogression, determining surgical strategies for patients with significant tumor reduction, assessing the feasibility of de-escalating postoperative adjuvant therapy in those achieving a pathological complete response, and managing immune-related adverse events. This consensus addresses these challenges by integrating current evidence with pressing clinical questions and incorporating multidisciplinary expert insights from the OSCC field. The objective is to establish a standardized, unified framework for evaluating and managing these complex issues in resectable locally advanced OSCC.