Early Cancer Diagnosis by Nasopharyngeal Mucus Liquid Biopsy

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18762
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Kawabe Hiroaki 東京医科歯科大学, 東京医科歯科大学病院, 医員 (40826088)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 下咽頭癌 / 早期診断 / Liquid biopsy

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to diagnose nasopharyngeal carcinoma at an early stage, which is difficult to diagnose in a normal examination, we investigated nasopharyngeal mucus liquid biopsy as a screening method that can be performed in an outpatient setting. First, saliva and gargle fluid were collected from patients diagnosed with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma before surgery, washings of nasopharyngeal mucus were collected intraoperatively, and tumor tissue and normal tissue were collected from specimens after surgery. DNA was purified from each specimen, and cases in which the amplification of the TP53 gene was confirmed by PCR were searched for genetic abnormalities by DNA sequencing analysis to confirm whether the abnormalities were contained in saliva, gargle fluid, or mucus washings.

Free Research Field

頭頸部外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

下咽頭癌の場合、遺伝子異常は多岐にわたっているので、遺伝子異常をスクリーニングとして評価するのは難しく、今後癌特有のタンパク質などスクリーニングしやすい物質で評価することを検討していく必要がある。また、うがい液だけではなく唾液など採取可能な検体で評価ができれば、より簡易な検査で下咽頭癌の早期診断が可能になり、医療費削減だけでなく、患者の利益、しいては公共の利益に繋がる。