A multicenter study of indication of elective neck dissection and metastasis-related biomarker in patients with tongue cancer

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09818
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57060:Surgical dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Umeda Masahiro 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 教授 (60301280)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 栗田 浩 信州大学, 学術研究院医学系, 教授 (10273103) ; 柳本 惣市 長崎大学, 病院(歯学系), 講師 (10315260) ; 桐田 忠昭 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (70201465)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 舌癌 / 予防的頸部郭清 / 経過観察 / バイオマーカー / 潜在性頸部転移 / 頸部後発転移 / 予後

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Prophylactic neck dissection for occult cervical metastasis is an effective treatment strategy for early tongue cancer, but the criteria for its indication are unclear. This study is a multicenter study conducted with the cooperation of the Japanese Society of Oral Oncology. After registration, curative treatment is performed without randomizing elective neck dissection, and then unified follow-up is performed. This is a prospective observational study in the most clinical form. Furthermore, the cancer tissue is sampled at the time of case registration , and metastasis-related biomarkers are investigated.
The study was scheduled to be completed in 2021, but the target number of cases, 860, was not reached, and the registration period was extended until October 2022. The analysis will be started immediately after the case registration is completed.

Free Research Field

口腔外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

舌癌における予防郭清の是非については現在もさまざまな意見がある。海外では予防郭清を推奨するガイドラインも存在するが、厳重な経過観察が可能な日本において予防郭清は生存率向上に寄与するのかどうかは不明である。本研究では早期舌癌における予防的頸部郭清の是非や適応基準を明らかにすることを目的としており、その研究成果により、早期舌癌患者においてオーバートリートメントを避け、良好な予後とQOLの維持を両立させる治療法を確立することが可能になると考えられる。