Finnish researchers have discovered a promising way to identify oral cancers with a high risk of recurrence at an early stage. By closely examining the lymphatic vessels within tumour tissue, they found that the surface cells of these vessels contain proteins that signal active cell division. Importantly, the presence of these proteins strongly predicts disease progression and mortality.
Oral Cancer: A Serious Global Health Burden
Oral cancers remain the most common malignant tumours in the head and neck region, causing more than 188,000 deaths worldwide each year. Unlike many other cancers, even small and early-stage oral tumours can prove fatal.
In Finland, where the study was conducted, up to 20% of patients diagnosed and treated in the early stages eventually die from the disease. Therefore, clinicians urgently need more reliable methods to identify aggressive forms of oral cancer at the time of diagnosis.
Study Design and Key Findings
To address this need, researchers from the University of Turku and the InFLAMES Research Flagship analysed early-stage oral cancer samples from approximately 300 Finnish patients. They examined the tumour tissue in detail, focusing on defence and structural cells and evaluating multiple protein markers.
As a result of this comprehensive analysis, the team made a surprising discovery. Some tumours showed a significantly higher number of proliferating lymphatic vessels compared to normal tissue. Moreover, this increased proliferation predicted cancer recurrence and death more accurately than any previously known risk factor for oral cancer.
Why Lymphatic Vessel Proliferation Matters
Under normal conditions, lymphatic vessels are present in the mouth; however, their cells rarely divide. Consequently, proteins that indicate cell division are usually absent in a healthy oral cavity.
In contrast, the researchers found these division-related proteins in the lymphatic vessel surface cells of certain tumours. This abnormal activity appears to signal a more aggressive disease course.
Clinical Implications: Toward Personalised Treatment
Lead author Joni Näsiaho, a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku and an oncology specialist, emphasised the clinical importance of the findings. He explained that doctors must identify aggressive forms of oral cancer at the diagnostic stage. By doing so, they can better plan treatment and address the increased risk of recurrence and death.
Currently, surgeons primarily treat local oral cancer with surgery. However, clinicians lack precise tools to determine which patients would benefit most from additional (adjuvant) therapies. Therefore, reliable biomarkers are essential. They would enable doctors to treat high-risk patients more aggressively while sparing low-risk patients from unnecessary side effects associated with adjuvant treatments.
Furthermore, Näsiaho expressed optimism that this newly identified marker could serve as a practical clinical tool. He also suggested that future research should explore whether the same marker holds predictive value in other types of cancer.
Publication and Research Collaboration
As per the press release, the team published the study in the prestigious journal Cell Reports Medicine. Researchers conducted the work at the MediCity Research Laboratory of the University of Turku under the leadership of Professor Marko Salmi, head of the InFLAMES research group.
In addition, three ear, nose, and throat specialists from the Turku University Hospital, who actively treat and study oral cancer, contributed to the research.
The Research Council of Finland, the Cancer Foundation Finland, and the Finnish Government research funding supported the study.
A Step Forward in Oral Cancer Care
Overall, this discovery marks a significant step toward more precise risk assessment in oral cancer. By identifying high-risk patients early, clinicians can tailor treatment strategies more effectively, improve survival outcomes, and reduce unnecessary treatment-related harm.