Takayoshi Hattori

Background/Objectives: Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) represents a treatment approach for patients with locally advanced or recurrent head and neck cancers who are unsuitable for surgery post-standard therapy. Since its introduction in Japan in January 2021, NIR-PIT has been available exclusively under the national health insurance system, resulting in limited real-world clinical practice data. This study evaluated the association between NIR-PIT and overall survival (OS) in clinical practice. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included 45 patients with head and neck cancer who were not amenable to surgical resection owing to advanced local disease or regional recurrence without distant metastasis and who underwent NIR-PIT or systemic pharmacotherapy between January 2021 and April 2025. The primary endpoint was OS. Results: Twenty-two and 23 patients received NIR-PIT and pharmacotherapy, respectively. In the NIR-PIT group, irradiation was delivered to primary tumors in 20 patients, cervical lymph node lesions in one, and both primary and lymph node lesions in one. The median OS was 35 and 8 months, with median follow-up of 40 and 49 months in the NIR-PIT and pharmacotherapy groups, respectively. Among the NIR-PIT-eligible patients, 22 and 10 were treated with NIR-PIT and pharmacotherapy, respectively. The median OS was 35 and 8 months, with median follow-up of 40 and 24 months in the NIR-PIT and pharmacotherapy groups, respectively. Conclusions: NIR-PIT was independently associated with improved OS in patients with unresectable recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer without distant metastasis. Prospective multicenter studies are warranted to validate these findings.

Objective: Mucosal melanoma (MM) is an extremely aggressive malignant tumor in the head and neck region associated with a poor prognosis. In the present study, we conducted cell proliferation assay and western blotting using cell lines derived from MM and the immunohistochemical analysis of pathological MM tissues to identify novel therapeutic targets. Herein, we report on the potential of cyclin‐dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitors as molecular targeted therapies for MM. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study and laboratory analysis. Setting: A tertiary referral center. Methods: MTT assay and western blotting were performed on the HMV‐II (RCB0777) and GAK (JCRB0180) cell lines, treated with the CDK4 inhibitors abemaciclib (LY2835219) and palbociclib (PD‐0332991). This retrospective cohort study included patients with head and neck MM; immunohistochemistry was performed on clinical specimens. Results: Abemaciclib and palbociclib showed concentration‐dependent cytostatic effects on HMV‐II and GAK cells at 72 hours in the MTT assay. In western blotting, they exhibited concentration‐dependent inhibitory effects on phosphorylated RB1 in HMV‐II and GAK cells at 24 hours. Of 23 patients, 18 (78.3%) had positive results on CDK4 immunostaining. No clinicopathologic factors were significantly associated with CDK4 status. Conclusion: Abemaciclib and palbociclib may suppress MM cell proliferation. The CDK4 signaling pathway is a potential target for molecular‐targeted therapies in MM.

Background: Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed with neck dissection (ND) and postoperative radiotherapy when necessary. This study aimed to review the methods of vascular ligation and ND in cases of TORS for oropharyngeal cancer in Japan. Methods: We enrolled 44 consecutive patients who underwent TORS for laryngopharyngeal cancer between December 2019 and December 2023. Of these, 35 patients who underwent TORS as a first-line treatment for oropharyngeal cancer were included in this study. We retrospectively collected patient data on age, sex, primary tumor location, clinical tumor–node classification, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, history of irradiation to the neck, presence of anticoagulants, pathological results, tumor size, total operative duration, console time, length of skin incision operative result, estimated blood loss, late cervical lymph node metastasis, perioperative complications, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative bleeding, period until oral intake after surgery, and swallowing function. Intra- and postoperative outcomes of TORS, TORS + ND (IIa) + vascular ligation, and TORS + ND (II–IV) + vascular ligation. Results: Significant differences were found in operative duration, blood loss during ND, and skin incision length between TORS + ND (IIa) + vascular ligation and TORS + ND (II–IV) + vascular ligation. Console time and blood loss did not significantly differ between the two groups. Each group contained one case of postoperative bleeding. Conclusions: Safe and minimally invasive treatments can be established if vascular ligation and ND are implemented based on appropriate case selection.