Neoadjuvant PD-1 Immune Checkpoint Blockade Reverses Functional Immunodominance among Tumor Antigen–Specific T Cells

Purpose: Surgical resection of primary tumor with regional lymphadenectomy remains the treatment of choice for patients with advanced human papillomavirus–negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, even when pathologic disease-free margins can be achieved, locoregional and/or distant disease relapse remains high. Perioperative immunotherapy may improve outcomes, but mechanistic data supporting the use of neoadjuvant or adjuvant...