7th ICHNO Abstract book

page 6 7 th ICHNO Conference International Conference on innovative approaches in Head and Neck Oncology 14 – 16 March 2019 Barcelona, Spain __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7th ICHNO

vivo T cell suppression assays, we identified a particular subset of MDSC with high suppressive activity. A high frequency of this subset in the peripheral blood was associated with poor survival. Finally, we employed whole mount staining of surgical specimens, followed by ultramicroscopy and 3-D reconstruction to unravel the true three-dimensional “landscape” of the tumor immune microenvironment. Using this technology, we decoded the functional interaction of tumor-associated neutrophils with T cells in situ. We identified intratumoral hot spots of interaction, which had prognostic relevance. Our data provide a rationale for the co-targeting of myeloid cells and T cells in HNC immunocombination therapy.

Keynote lecture: Keynote lecture 1: New insights into the molecular landscape of Head and Neck cancer SP-001 New insights into the molecular landscape of Head and Neck cancer R. Brakenhoff 1 1 Vu University Medical Center, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery- tumor biology section- Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Abstract text Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) develop in the mucosal lining of the upper aerodigestive tract. Despite the fact that the disease develops in a single tissue in a relatively small anatomical region, it is remarkably heterogeneous. At present two separate disease entities are distinguished: HNSCCs caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and those that do not contain HPV. However, large scale genomics research have revealed additional levels of heterogeneity between tumors in head and neck cancer that are gradually changing the molecular landscape. Implementation of these molecular insights in clinical care is hampered at present by small sample size of the studies, differences in technical platforms exploited, variation in tumor-stroma composition of the analysed specimen, and the computational approaches applied. However even with the newest single cell techniques these molecular tumor classifications can be repeated and seem robust. These developments demand adaptation of the classical genetic progression models that initially determined the concepts of carcinogenesis. They do provide an opportunity for better stratification of patients for prognosis and personalized treatment approaches. Although the high-throughput genomics of head and neck cancer revealed these intriguing new insights, these studies did not provide a wide array of novel therapeutic leads. Head and neck cancer is a disease of tumor suppressor gene inactivation, and particularly cell cycle control is frequently abrogated. Also beta-catenin signalling appears to play a role but not according to the classical Wnt pathway. More detailed research of these genes and pathways as well as their role in carcinogenesis, together with functional genetic screens using RNA interference and CRISPR genome editing will reveal the new promising therapeutic leads that are so urgently awaited. SP-002 Immune landscape in Head and Neck cancer S. Brandau 1 1 Universitätsklinikum Essen, HNO-Klinik, Essen, Germany Abstract text Patients with progressing head and neck cancer (HNC) experience significant changes in circulating immune cells. In addition, most HNC tissues are heavily infiltrated by distinct subsets of immune cells, which influence tumor biology and disease progression. We have investigated the immunobiology of this disease with a focus on the interaction of myeloid cells and T cells. We found distinct alterations in circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and T cells in patients with HPV-negative versus HPV-positive tumors. Based on multi-color FACS and ex Keynote lecture: Keynote lecture 2: New insights into the immune landscape of Head and Neck cancer

Debate: Debate 1: This house believes that radiomics will not change clinical practice

SP-003 For the motion V. Gregoire 1 1 Centre Léon Bérard, Radiation Oncology, Lyon, France SP-004 Against the motion P. Lambin 1 1 MaastrichtUniversity, Radiation Oncology|The D-Lab, Maastricht, The Neterlands

Proffered papers 1

OC-005 Preoperative vs. postoperative radiotherapy in treatment of oral cavity cancer – The ARTSCAN 2 study C. Kristin 1 , Z. Björn 2 , N. Per 3 , K. Elisabeth 4 , B. Eva 4 , S. Karin 2 , R. Johan 5 , K. Stefan 6 , G. Maria 4 , S. Johanna 1 , J. Wennerberg 1 1 Lund University Hospital, ORL/H&N Surgery, Lund, Sweden; 2 Umeå Universitetssjukhus, Oncology, Umeå, Sweden; 3 Lund University Hospital, Radiation Physics, Lund, Sweden; 4 Lund University Hospital, Oncology, Lund, Sweden; 5 Örebro University Hospital, Oncology, Örebro, Sweden; 6 Örebro University Hospital, ORL/Head and Neck Surgery, Örebro, Sweden Purpose or Objective A longstanding controversy in the combined modality treatment of resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is the timing of radiotherapy (RT); before or after surgery? Very limited clinical data are at hand and there is not enough evidence to conclude any advantage of either of the two methods regarding tumour-control and side-effects. In the previous ARTSCAN trial, patients with resectable oral cancers treated with 68 Gy accelerated fractionation (AF) RT preoperatively showed a strong trend towards better outcome than patients given preoperative conventional fractionation, (CF) RT. To further investigate this preoperative AF was compared with the ‘’gold standard”, post operative CF RT, in a randomized controlled trial, ARTSCAN 2. This trial aimed both to investigate the earlier finding of superior tumour-response to AF RT vs CF RT and to challenge the question of pre- vs. postoperative RT. The study was performed on behalf of the ARTSCAN-study Group.