T-cell regulation in HPV+ve OPSCC and normal tonsil
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparative study of T-cell regulation in Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 positive oropharynx cancer and non- malignant tonsil tissue.
IRAS ID
210963
Contact name
Terence Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
In recent decades there has been an exponential increase in the incidence of cancer of the tonsil caused by the Human papillomavirus, genotype 16 (HPV-16) in most countries of the Developed World. Why this has occurred now is unknown, as are the underlying mechanisms of how the virus causes cancer of the tonsil. These cancers constitute a new disease entity, occurring in younger, fitter, non heavy smoking and drinking individuals than `traditional` head and neck cancer which is known to be caused by tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking. Moreover, whilst they present clinically with indicators of apparently aggressive disease, they are much more curable than non HPV driven head and neck cancers. It is this paradox, along with the mechanisms as to how the virus causes cancer in the first place, which is the subject of intense research investigation by our group and others around the world.\nIn particular, we are concentrating on the underlying defects in the patient`s immune system which might result in the development of the cancer in the first place. Specifically, we intend to investigate the role of particular inhibitory immune cells (Treg) in normal tonsil and in tonsil cancer taken from the same patient at the time of operation, thereby making use of the inimitable clinical resources available in the Head and Neck (H&N) cancer unit in Liverpool – the largest centralised H&N cancer unit in the UK. We hope that our series of planned experiments will reveal the role of these specialised cells in the development of HPV 16 driven cancer of the tonsil and therefore, how we might target their activity with novel treatments to improve the care of patients in the future.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0645
Date of REC Opinion
14 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion