According to the American Association for Cancer Research, it is estimated that over 68,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with head and neck cancers in 2021 – most with mouth, throat, or voice box cancer. Head and neck cancers comprise nearly 4% of all cancers and frequently originate in the squamous cells that line the mucosal surfaces inside the mouth, nose, throat, and occasionally the salivary glands.

“Head and neck cancers include a very diverse group of cancers ranging from the skin of the head to the larynx, to the tongue, salivary duct, etc.,” said Vinita Takiar, MD, PhD, vice chair of research and associate professor within the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Cincinnati. “Because of this, survival rate is a very inaccurate way to estimate outcomes, which is why we see a survival rate ranging from 40-95%.”

Dr. Takiar is the co-leader of the Takiar & Wise-Draper Laboratory alongside Trisha Wise-Draper, MD, PhD, section head of medical oncology and associate professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Cincinnati. The overall goal of the laboratory is to better understand how tumor cells evade or resist cell death by anti-cancer therapy. If these mechanisms were better understood, then clinical treatment could be better tailored to each patient.

“There are a lot of questions that remain to be answered in the field of head and neck cancer research,” said Dr. Takiar. “Head and neck cancers are composed of a variety of cancers with distinct underlying biology and responsiveness to treatment. However, there are more and better treatment options available now than ever before.”

“Immunotherapy, for instance, has revolutionized how we treat head and neck cancer,” said Dr. Wise-Draper. “It is now standard with and without chemotherapy for those with recurrent or metastatic cancer.”

Understanding the underlying resistance to immunotherapy is another focus of the Takiar & Wise-Draper Laboratory. Currently, immunotherapy is indicated for patients in the recurrent or metastatic setting for head and neck cancer, and although those who respond to treatment have terrific outcomes, most patients do not respond. The goal is to identify patients most likely to respond to treatment and to understand how to turn a non-responder into a responder so that subsequent human trials can be designed to improve immunotherapy effectiveness.

Last year, both Dr. Takiar and Dr. Wise-Draper co-authored a publication that demonstrated the safety of the addition of immunotherapy to definitive chemoradiation – A Phase I/II Trial of Concurrent Immunotherapy with Chemoradiation in Locally Advanced Larynx Cancer. The outcomes of this study suggested the potential for improving long-term survival while minimizing the negative impact of treatment.

In January of this year, Dr. Wise-Draper co-authored Interplay of Immunosuppression and Immunotherapy Among Patients with Cancer and COVID-19 in JAMA Oncology. In March, she co-authored The Relationship Between COVID-19 Severity and Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy in Frontiers in Immunology. Both publications cover the efforts to understand the connections between COVID-19, cancer immunity, and immunotherapy.

At the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, reducing the suffering and mortality associated with cancer in Cincinnati and beyond is the utmost priority. To achieve this, the Cancer Center is working to make Cincinnati the most innovative city in the world when it comes to cancer, which means connecting talent and expertise by fostering collaboration. In the Takiar & Wise-Draper Laboratory, this goal is becoming a reality.

“Our lab is full of trainees, and through our mentorship, the next set of researchers and clinicians are receiving vital education,” said Dr. Takiar. “Our research in the laboratory and in the clinic works to expand access to science and high-quality cancer care to all.”

 “When patients benefit from our research and clinical trials, especially those developed by our fantastic investigators, that’s success,” said Dr. Wise-Draper.

Being members of the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center has helped advance their work. “Cancer Center membership allows us access to a network of scientists with whom to collaborate, formal venues in which to present our work, and pilot funding – which has been of great benefit to both of us – amongst many other benefits,” said Dr. Takiar.

Highlighted Head & Neck Cancer Clinical Trials:

Phase II Study to Evaluate Amivantamab in Recurrent and Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
PI: Trisha Wise-Draper

Phase 1B/II Trial Combining PD1 Inhibition (Pembrolizumab) and Cesium 131 Brachytherapy with Salvage Surgery to Enhance Immunogenicity and Improve Local Control in Head and Neck Cancer
PI: Chad Zender