EMT monitoring of ciculating tumor cell in HNSCC

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K18250
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Imai Atsushi 浜松医科大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (30794309)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: クリニカルシーケンス / リキッドバイオプシー / 腫瘍循環細胞 / セルフリーDNA / 個別化医療 / 上皮間葉移行 / 薬剤抵抗性 / 原発不明癌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Techniques for analysing cell-free DNA with high sensitivity and accuracy using liquid biopsy are being developed competitively. In head and neck cancer, the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has increased the number of chemotherapy options, and the analysis of the pathology of cancer cells over time, with their plasticity and heterogeneity associated with drug resistance, is considered to be a key to personalised medicine. The applicant reported HPV detection in cfDNA of HPV-associated mesopharyngeal carcinoma, as well as its association with the clinical course over time, including recurrent metastases from before and after treatment. However, this has not been applied to liquid biopsy of HPV-unassociated cancers. In the present study, we wanted to establish a biomarker for HPV-unrelated head and neck cancers.

Free Research Field

頭頸部癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

再発・転移を有する進行頭頸部癌において、従来の殺細胞性抗癌剤・分子標的薬に加えて免疫チェックポイント阻害薬が加わったことで薬剤シーケンスの選択の幅が大きく広がった。それに伴い効果判定基準も従来の腫瘍縮小効果に基づいたRECIST ver.1.1から免疫療法の異型反応を捉えて評価するimmune RECISTが提唱されるなど基準が複雑化している。そのため腫瘍の再発を含めた病勢や化学療法の効果・予後予測を判定する明確なバイオマーカーの確立が求められている。今回、エピジェネティックス変化をとらえることでことで病態・治療効果・予測に関わるHPV関連・非関連頭頸部癌のバイオマーカーを確立したいと考えた。