Genomics and targeted therapy

Le résumé fourni par la source

Cancer is a disease driven in large part by genomic changes that promote tumour formation through dys-regulation of cell survival/death and growth, among many others. Head and neck cancers (HNCs) occur at multiple sites, including the oral cavity and larynx where most (60–70%) occur, the oropharynx and, much more rarely, the salivary glands. Only ~5% of HNCs are of the salivary gland. This relatively low prevalence means comprehensive characterisation of the genomic landscape of such tumours is lacking and may yet provide novel treatment options to improve what are, at present, poor clinical outcomes. While causes of salivary gland cancers are largely unknown, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are commonly associated with tobacco and/or alcohol consumption, with a growing subset caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the oropharynx. HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNCs both display significant but different genomic changes, including gene mutations and rearrangements of the genome that are associated with tumourigenesis. These genomic differences contributed to HPV-positive HNCs being considered as a distinct clinical and biological entity when compared to HPV-positive HNCs.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.