Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39616986›Full record

ArticleTranslational oncology2025

Molecular profiling of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in North-eastern Italy identifies possible tumour cell vulnerabilities.

Monica Schiappacassi, Riccardo Spizzo, Jerry Polesel, Lorena Musco, Roberto Doliana, Luca Pellizzari, Valentina Lupato, Giuseppe Fanetti, Emanuela Vaccher, Diego Serraino and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Translational oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Monica SchiappacassiDivision of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Riccardo SpizzoDivision of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Jerry PoleselEpidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Lorena MuscoDivision of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Roberto DolianaDivision of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Luca PellizzariScientific Directorate, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Valentina LupatoDivision of Otorhinolaryngology, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli Angeli, via Montereale 24, 33170 Pordenone, Italy.
Giuseppe FanettiDepartment of Radiotherapy, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Emanuela VaccherDepartment of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Diego SerrainoEpidemiology Unit, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Luigi BarzanCentro di Medicina, 33170 Pordenone, Italy.
Sandro SulfaroDivision of Surgical Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli Angeli, via Montereale 24, 33170 Pordenone, Italy.
Vittorio GiacomarraDivision of Otorhinolaryngology, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria degli Angeli, via Montereale 24, 33170 Pordenone, Italy.
Giovanni FranchinDepartment of Radiotherapy, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy.
Gustavo BaldassarreDivision of Molecular Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO) IRCCS, via Franco Gallini 2, Aviano (PN), 33081, Italy. Electronic address: gbaldassarre@cro.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeHead and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer (HNSCC) originates from the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx and larynx, and it ranks sixth among global cancers. Despite modest 5-year survival gains, the integration of molecular personalization lags behind and there is an urgent need to develop novel therapies and biomarkers. MATERIAL AND

methodsThis study outlined the somatic mutational profile of 15 HNSCC-enriched genes in a case series from North-eastern Italy, the region with the highest national HNSCC incidence. We conducted a comparative analysis with prior case studies and assessed the prognostic implications of the mutations that we found in these genes.

resultsConsistent with previous studies, oral cavity tumours showed a lower gene mutation frequency. We highlighted a significant enrichment of somatic AJUBA mutations in the hypopharyngeal region, linked to a poorer prognosis. Moreover, KMT2C mutations co-occurring with CDKN2A or NOTCH1 mutations were associated with a worse prognosis. At the same time, only 7 % of the cases exhibited mutations that are predictive biomarker in HNSCC according to compelling clinical evidence but that need further investigation in a clinical trial setting.

conclusionOur findings underlined novel differences in somatic gene mutations among the four anatomic sites. However, at present, the identified mutations cannot yet be considered predictive biomarkers either for the lack of supporting clinical findings or for the lack of approved targeted therapies in HNSCC. This underscores the imperative for continued investigation into the biology of HNSCC to unveil novel vulnerabilities that can be leveraged to enhance patient treatment strategies.

Indexed as

AJUBAHigh-throughput nucleotide sequencingHNSCCHypopharynxKMT2C

Identifiers

PMID39616986
PMCPMC11647078

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.