Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41622268›Full record

ArticleEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2026

Preliminary observations on peripheral inflammatory markers in NIR-PIT and ICI-treated recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Hitoshi Hirakawa, Taro Ikegami, Hidetoshi Kinjyo, Shinya Agena, Shunsuke Kondo, Norimoto Kise, Yuki Kayo, Hironori Nakayoshi, Takahiro Miyahira, Hiroyuki Maeda and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2026. 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

11 authors.

Hitoshi HirakawaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan. aoi23@cs.u-ryukyu.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1789-8801
Taro IkegamiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Hidetoshi KinjyoDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Shinya AgenaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Shunsuke KondoDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Norimoto KiseDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Yuki KayoDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Hironori NakayoshiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Takahiro MiyahiraDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Hiroyuki MaedaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.
Mikio SuzukiDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Ryukyus, 1076 Kiyuna, Ginowan-city, Okinawa, 901-2720, Japan.

Funding

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science London 24K12721
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeNear-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a new cancer treatment that selectively kills cancer cells and triggers a therapeutic immune response. This exploratory retrospective study aimed to investigate potential predictive biomarkers of sequential NIR-PIT and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in non-surgical candidates with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

methodsBetween January 2022 and May 2025, 11 non-surgical candidates with recurrent HNSCC received NIR-PIT, including 9 sequential treatments with ICI. Association between peripheral blood biomarkers and oncological outcomes were assessed. Tumor response was evaluated according to RECIST v1.1, and statistical analyses included Fisher’s exact test and Mann–Whitney U test.

resultsTarget tumor lesions in distinct regions of the head and neck, totaling 13, were treated; one patient was treated for three separate lesions. The best overall response rate was 84.6%, with five complete and six partial responses. Elevated relative eosinophil increase (REI) was more frequently observed in better response group (p = 0.08, r = 0.47) whereas higher absolute monocyte counts (AMC) were observed in worse disease progression group (p = 0.003, r = 0.81). Grade 1–2 local pain was the most frequent adverse event, reported in eight patients, while grade 3 events were observed in three patients. No immune-related adverse events were observed during ICI therapy.

conclusionSequential NIR-PIT and ICI therapy may enhance the antitumor efficacy and demonstrate a favorable safety profile in non-surgical candidates with recurrent HNSCC. REI may serve as a potential predictor of NIR-PIT response, while higher AMC levels were observed in patients who experienced tumor progression.

Indexed as

BiomarkerImmune checkpoint inhibitorNear-infrared photoimmunotherapyPeripheral blood sampleRecurrent head and neck cancer

Identifiers

PMID41622268

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.