Tumor molecular differences associated with outcome disparities of Black patients with head and neck cancer

Hugh A J Kim; Peter Y F Zeng; Alana Sorgini; Mushfiq H Shaikh; Halema Khan; Danielle MacNeil; Mohammed I Khan; Adrian Mendez; John Yoo; Kevin Fung; Pencilla Lang; David A Palma; Joe S Mymryk; John W Barrett; Krupal B Patel; Paul C Boutros; Anthony C Nichols

doi:10.1002/hed.27007

Tumor molecular differences associated with outcome disparities of Black patients with head and neck cancer

Head Neck. 2022 May;44(5):1124-1135. doi: 10.1002/hed.27007. Epub 2022 Feb 21.

Authors

Hugh A J Kim¹, Peter Y F Zeng¹, Alana Sorgini¹, Mushfiq H Shaikh¹, Halema Khan¹, Danielle MacNeil^{1

2}, Mohammed I Khan¹, Adrian Mendez^{1

2}, John Yoo^{1

2}, Kevin Fung^{1

2}, Pencilla Lang², David A Palma^{1

2}, Joe S Mymryk^{1

2

3}, John W Barrett^{1

2}, Krupal B Patel⁴, Paul C Boutros^{5

6

7

8

9}, Anthony C Nichols^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
² Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
³ Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA.
⁵ Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁶ Department of Urology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁷ Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁸ Institute for Precision Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
⁹ Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Centre, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have demonstrated disparate outcomes by race and ethnicity. Beyond known associations with socioeconomic variables, whether these are also associated with differences in tumor molecular composition has thus far been poorly explored.

Methods: We downloaded clinical and multiplatform molecular data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and other published studies. These were compared between non-Hispanic Black (n = 43) and White (n = 354) patients with non-HPV-related tumors, using multivariable models. Publicly available validation cohorts were used.

Results: Black patients had poorer progression-free survival than White patients. Tumors of Black patients had greater copy number aberrations, and increased SFRP1 methylation and miRNA-mediated PRG4 silencing associated with poor survival. PI3K/AkT/mTOR pathway proteins were differentially expressed.

Conclusions: There are molecular differences between tumors of Black and White patients that may partially account for differences in survival. These may inform targeted treatment decisions to achieve equitable outcomes.

Keywords: HNSCC; HPV-negative; genomics; mutational status; racio-ethnic group.

MeSH terms

Black People*
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / ethnology
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / therapy
Health Status Disparities*
Humans
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck* / ethnology
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck* / therapy
Survival Rate
White People / genetics

Abstract

MeSH terms

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