A single-cell multi-omics study of head and neck cancer in multiple sites

Head and neck cancer (HNC) comprises a group of aggressive malignant tumors originating from the upper aerodigestive tract, including the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. It ranks as the seventh most common cancer worldwide, with a five-year overall survival rate of approximately 50%. According to the 2020 Global Cancer Statistics, China reports around 128,000 new cases annually, with more than 65,000 related deaths. While previous studies have uncovered key molecular features—such as driver mutations, dysregulated regulatory programs, and alternative expression isoforms—critical challenges remain. These include inter-patient heterogeneity, the relationship between T cell clonal evolution and treatment response or immune escape, and the therapeutic potential of targeting signaling pathways within the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, we integrated multi-omics technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) to systematically analyze tumor biology and drug sensitivity, aiming to develop precise, individualized treatment strategies. This combined approach offers new insights into HNC and holds promise for the development of innovative therapies, advancing the field of personalized medicine.

Dr. Bhaskar Roy (Z4212617) is a genomics expert specializing in cancer genomics research. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from Zhejiang University and completed his postdoctoral training at Tsinghua University. Dr. Bhaskar worked at BGI for over a decade and has published extensively on cancer and other diseases. He is currently a scientist at the Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China.