Understanding the biological mechanism of head and neck cancer

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  INDEPTH: INtegrated DEep molecular Phenotyping for improved Treatment outcome prediction in Head and neck cancer patients

• IRAS ID

  321736

• Contact name

  Catriona Douglas

• Contact email

  catriona.douglas3@nhs.scot

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Glasgow

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  UGN26ON055, NHS Research and Innovation

• Duration of Study in the UK

  5 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world and is responsible for over 400,000 deaths each year. Incidence and mortality rates in the West of Scotland are among the highest in the world, and despite receiving expert care, patients in this region often face worse outcomes than those elsewhere. Our research focuses specifically on oropharyngeal cancer, which has doubled in frequency over the last 20 years, and hypopharyngeal cancer, where only about one in three patients survives five years.

  Radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment for the majority of patients. Despite pushing patients to their limits, the cancer will return within just two years for a third of patients. Currently, doctors have no way of predicting who will be cured and who will suffer a recurrence.
  This study aims to find biological signatures, or biomarkers, that predict treatment success or failure by comparing tumours that did to those that did not respond well to treatment.

  Our findings will allow for a more personalized approach to treatment:
  • High-Risk patients: If biomarkers predict that standard treatment will fail, doctors could offer more intensive options, such as increased radiation doses, new drug combinations, or upfront surgery.
  • Low-Risk patients: For those with highly sensitive tumors, we can eventually look at "de-escalating" treatment to reduce life-altering side effects without risking a cure.

  To summarise, this is an INDEPTH study into the biology of HNC in the West of Scotland, giving us the unique opportunity to find biomarkers, including those unique to the Scottish patient population, that could lead to better, more personalised treatment strategies in the future.

• REC name

  North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1

• REC reference

  26/NS/0023

• Date of REC Opinion

  6 Mar 2026

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion