Treatment strategies for oral squamous cell carcinoma based on genetic alterlations

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03890
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57060:Surgical dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Nakashiro Koichi 愛媛大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (90314880)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 合田 啓之 愛媛大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (00464371) ; 徳善 紀彦 愛媛大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10723843) ; 内田 大亮 愛媛大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (20335798)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 口腔扁平上皮癌 / 遺伝子異常 / 頸部リンパ節転移予測 / リッキドバイオプシー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is widely known that human malignancies are caused by genomic and epigenomic alterations. Therefore, we have attempted to identify gene alterations that would be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. We extracted genomic DNA and total RNA from the primary tumor and adjacent normal tissues, and performed gene mutation analysis using targeted deep sequencing and comprehensive gene expression analysis by microarray. In the mutation analysis, mutations in TP53 gene were observed in 90% of the cases. On the other hand, the expression analysis revealed numerous genes that showed significant correlations with cervical lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis. These gene alterations have the potential to be useful for predicting metastasis and monitoring recurrence for oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Free Research Field

口腔腫瘍学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

わが国では超高齢社会の到来とともに口腔扁平上皮癌の罹患数は増加しており、2019 年の時点で年間約 11,000 人とされ、5 年生存率は約 60% にとどまっている。本研究成果により、口腔癌診療に遺伝子異常所見が用いられるようになれば、潜在性頸部リンパ節転移や微小残存病変の把握、さらに有効な分子標的薬の選択が可能となり、適切な治療法による治療成績の飛躍的な向上が期待できる。また、無益な治療の回避により患者の治療後の生活の質が担保できる。