Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40932704›Full record

ArticleJAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery2025

Oral Lachnoanaerobaculum Levels and Survival in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer.

Alexander Rühle, Máté Krausz, Elsa Beatriz Monroy Ordonez, Jannis Heyer, Andreas R Thomsen, Henning Schäfer, Athanasios Kafkaletos, Peter Bronsert, Rebecca Kesselring, Ali Al-Ahmad and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

18 authors.

Alexander RühleDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Máté KrauszInstitute for Immunodeficiency, Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Elsa Beatriz Monroy OrdonezDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Jannis HeyerInstitute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Andreas R ThomsenDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Henning SchäferDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Athanasios KafkaletosDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Peter BronsertInstitute for Surgical Pathology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Rebecca KesselringDepartment of General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Ali Al-AhmadCenter for Dental Medicine, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Nadine SchlueterHannover Medical School, Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, Hannover, Germany.
Jonas WüsterDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Andreas KnopfDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Anca-Ligia GrosuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Michele ProiettiInstitute for Immunodeficiency, Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Michael HenkeDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.
Christopher BerlinDepartment of General and Visceral Surgery, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Nils H NicolayDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site DKTK-Freiburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Importance: The oral microbiome plays a critical role in cancer treatment responses, yet its influence on outcomes in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy remains poorly understood. Identifying specific microbiome signatures associated with treatment effectiveness could provide novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Objective: To investigate the association between salivary Lachnoanaerobaculum spp abundance and treatment outcomes in patients with HNSCC undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy and to explore potential mechanisms. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prognostic study analyzed saliva samples from patients with HNSCC who were enrolled in 2 independent prospective biomarker studies (SALIVA and ZissTrans) and underwent definitive (chemo)radiotherapy. Oral microbiome composition was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were evaluated via immunohistochemistry in patients with available data. Findings were further assessed using data from The Cancer Microbiome Atlas and The Cancer Genome Atlas. Sample collection occurred from 2008 to 2011 (SALIVA) and from 2017 to 2022 (ZissTrans), and the data for this study were analyzed from July to December 2024. Exposure: Definitive (chemo)radiotherapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and a secondary outcome was overall survival (OS). Additional secondary analyses evaluated the association between Lachnoanaerobaculum spp levels and TIL levels, and the incidence of severe radiation-induced oral mucositis. Results: The analysis included 92 patients with HNSCC (mean [SD] age, 61.1 [7.9] years; 15 female [16.3%] 77 male [83.7%] individuals) and found that higher Lachnoanaerobaculum spp abundance was associated with substantially improved LRFS (median, 69 vs 11 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.50; 95% CI, 0.29-0.86) and OS (median, 75 vs 27 months; HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.30-0.98). This finding was confirmed by multivariable Cox regression (LRFS: HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.25-1.00; OS: HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.16-0.85). TILs were evaluated in 76 patients (82.2%) and showed that increased Lachnoanaerobaculum spp levels were associated with higher CD4-positive and CD8-positive TIL counts. Lachnoanaerobaculum spp abundance showed no meaningful association with severe radiation-induced oral mucositis. Data from The Cancer Microbiome Atlas (n = 157) indicated that higher intratumoral Lachnoanaerobaculum spp levels were associated with improved OS (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-0.98). Transcriptomic analyses in The Cancer Genome Atlas cohort further supported an immune-stimulated tumor microenvironment in Lachnoanaerobaculum-high tumors. Conclusions and Relevance: This prognostic study found that higher salivary Lachnoanaerobaculum spp abundance was associated with improved tumor control and survival in patients with HNSCC undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy. These findings support further investigation into microbiome-targeted interventions to improve HNSCC treatment effectiveness.

Indexed as

EubacterialesHead and Neck NeoplasmsMicrobiotaMouthSalivaSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckAgedChemoradiotherapyFemaleHumansLymphocytes, Tumor-InfiltratingMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisProspective StudiesSurvival Rate

Identifiers

PMID40932704
PMCPMC12426861

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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.