Head and Neck

• Launched an artificial intelligence (AI) task force to explore the application of an AI surgery guided approach in a European grant. Also explored innovative ideas with novel concepts, including circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) to guide adjuvant treatment.
• Contributed to the SPECTA Arcagen trial to analyse the genetic material of tumour samples from patients, including those with rare head and neck cancers. At the cut-off date, molecular alterations were found in the tumours of 629 patients of whom 421 were theoretically treatable by an existing therapy. Approved treatment in the right tumour type could be proposed in 58 cases.
• Two proposals were endorsed by the Board with one proposal under Protocol Review Committee (PRC) review and another ready for submission to authorities. Recruitment is ongoing in four clinical studies and two research projects.
• Collaborated with the Endocrine Tumour Group to develop synergies for strategy and protocol development.

A pioneering EORTC study demonstrated that a larynx preservation strategy provides similar overall survival rates compared with conventional treatment with total laryngectomy, and allowed two-thirds of the survivors to retain their larynx in patients with locally-advanced hypopharyngeal cancer.

In parallel, our research established, in the framework of larynx preservation protocols, the EORTC neo-adjuvant triple drug as the standard of care in locally-advanced unresectable laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumours.

EORTC also contributed to the validation of alternated fractionation radiotherapy regimen, resulting in a 19% improved loco-regional control rate in patients with T2-T3, N0-N1 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

The group also established post-operative radiotherapy (66 Gy in 6.5 weeks) with concurrent administration of high dose cisplatin as the standard of care for patients with locally-advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with R1 resection.