Analysis of the tumor immune microenvironment in head and neck cancer and its application to personalized radiation therapy

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K15787
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52040:Radiological sciences-related
• Research Institution: Sapporo Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Fukushima Yuki 札幌医科大学, 医学部, 訪問研究員 (60749787)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 頭頸部癌 / 放射線治療 / 腫瘍免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the effect of expression of proteins involved in tumor immunity on the outcome of radiation therapy for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Regarding the relationship between the tumor immune microenvironment and radiation therapy outcomes, we examined the expression of HLA class II on tumor cells recognized by CD4 positive cytotoxic T cells and FoxP3, a regulatory T cell marker, using biopsy specimens from oropharyngeal cancer. Cases with high expression of HLA class II on tumor cells and high levels of FoxP3 infiltration near the tumor had a good prognosis. It is believed that adding these to conventional prognostic factors will lead to improved accuracy in predicting treatment outcomes.

Free Research Field

放射線治療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

中咽頭癌において、腫瘍免疫関連蛋白の一つであるHLA class Ⅱが高発現で、腫瘍近傍にFoxP3の浸潤を多く認める症例で放射線治療成績が良好であることが研究成果として示された。今後癌細胞の腫瘍免疫関連蛋白を用いた放射線感受性予測の臨床応用や、個別化放射線治療の実用化の一歩となる成果と考えられる。