Targeted therapy for salivary gland cancer stem cells

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K16845
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
• Research Institution: National Hospital Organization, Kyushu Cancer Center (2022-2023); Kyushu University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Nakano Takafumi 独立行政法人国立病院機構(九州がんセンター臨床研究センター), その他部局等, 客員研究員 (20770100)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 唾液腺癌 / 頭頸部癌 / 癌幹細胞 / 分子標的治療

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with salivary gland cancer or head and neck cancer at the Kyushu University Hospital and National Kyushu Cancer Center. We revealed that most salivary gland cancers were positive for EGFR expression by IHC but that EGFR-targeting by the EXTREME regimen showed
little efficacy. We also showed tolerability and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for advanced-stage head and neck cancer patients. In particular, we also revealed tolerability and efficacy of ICIs for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, for which there have been insufficient data to date, also shows ICIs could be a good treatment option for this type of cancer.

Free Research Field

唾液腺癌

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

唾液腺癌の有効な治療法は手術療法のみであり、遠隔転移を有する症例に対しては有効な全身治療選択肢や十分な予後マーカーは未解明である。唾液腺癌でEGFRは高頻度に発現していることを多数の症例で示せたことは、今後の治療ターゲットになり得ることを示したため意義深い。更に、上咽頭癌を除く頭頸部癌で有効性が証明されていた免疫チェックポイント阻害薬を含む治療レジメンも、上咽頭癌でも忍容性・有効性を明らかにした。手術困難例が多く、転移しやすい上咽頭癌に対して有効な治療選択肢が増えたことも非常に意義深いと考えられる。