Did you know?

The term ‘head and neck cancer’ refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that originate from the upper digestive and respiratory tracts, including the lips, mouth, nose, sinuses, pharynx and larynx. Most head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (similar to a common form of skin cancer) that originate from the mucosal lining of these areas. Head and neck cancer is strongly associated with certain environmental factors, including tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. In addition, the Epstein Barr virus and human papillomavirus have been implicated in the causation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and laryngeal carcinoma respectively. Approximately 3% of all notifiable cancers diagnosed in Australia are head and neck cancers. As with many other forms of cancer, early detection of head and neck cancer is associated with a higher cure rate than advanced disease. Overall, the long term survival rate for patients with head and neck cancer is approximately 60%, with combination surgery and radiation therapy being the standard treatment.

Smoking and alcohol are the most common risk factors for head and neck cancer.

Diamantina’s research into head and neck cancer

Associate Professor Nicholas Saunders and his team in the Epithelial Pathobiology Group are studying squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The aim of their research is to understand the control mechanism of normal cell growth and maturation, to understand how these processes are disrupted during cancer formation and to exploit these differences in the development of new treatments for head and neck cancer.

Researchers in the Epithelial Pathobiology Group have already identified some new genes that are involved in head and neck cancer formation and were the first to identify the therapeutic potential of histone deacetylase inhibitors for treating head and neck cancers. These studies are progressing and the first clinical trial has been completed.

Their research has also revealed that E2F7, a transcription factor involved in the replication of skin cells, is found in higher concentrations in human cancers compared to normal healthy cells. More importantly, they found that inhibiting E2F7 makes cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy, meaning that future treatments for head and neck cancer may be able to use reduced doses of traditional chemotherapeutics in combination with specific E2F7 inhibitors. This would make the drugs more selective and reduce side effects for head and neck cancer patients. Studies to identify new drugs that inhibit E2F7 are also underway. These studies and others will form the basis for further clinical trials in patients with oral or cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas that will be conducted at the Princess Alexandra Hospital or in collaboration with Associate Professor Alexander Guminski at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

More information

For more detailed information about the research that is being done in the Epithelial Pathobiology Group click on the link. For more information about head and neck cancer, we recommend you visit the the Cancer Council website.