IReC-Bio and IReC Registry

There are currently only a limited number of proven treatments for use in cancers of the head and neck, and a better understanding of the biology of different HNCs could lead to improved therapies. Although many patients with head and neck cancer can be offered potentially curative treatment, we do not understand why some people are cured and others are not. There has been an explosion in molecular research in many cancers, but this remains an understudied area in head and neck cancer. There are currently no treatments available to patients with head and neck cancer based on molecular characteristics.

The purpose of IReC-BIO is to support research into rHNCs. A central repository for the rarer recurrent cancers will allow the concentration of cases required in order to support translational research programmes. The overall aim is to facilitate research into understanding disease biology, identifying potentially curative treatments, and allow detailed investigations into the relationships between clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics and clinical outcomes.

Cancer registries store large quantities of data from defined cancer populations. Registry aims vary, but include analysing cancer trends over time and supplying data for research studies5-7. The NCDB and SEER are extensively studied registries, producing >200 publications per year6. Both provide a broad overview of all major cancers; however, they have notable datapoint gaps, in particular, recurrence and patient reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Establishing a cancer registry necessitates a balance of clinical, informatic, and financial influences. Cancer registry development is subject to numerous pitfalls, ranging from excessive datapoints to inadequate quality assurance7. These can be mitigated through adherence to best practice recommendations, for example the NAACCR and ENCR, which provide guidelines that standardise registry datasets8,9. However, not all recommendations are practical across all cancer diagnoses. In particular, rHNC requires a tailored approach to document the treatment and functional implications unique to this cohort, necessitating development of a registry specific to this disease.

Inclusion criteria

• Aged over 18 at time of diagnosis.
• Confirmed clinical, radiological, and/ or histological diagnosis of residual, recurrent, or new primary malignant head and neck cancer arising from the nasopharynx, oropharynx, oral cavity, larynx, hypopharynx, sinonasal cavities, major salivary glands and thyroid gland.
• Any mucosal, salivary gland, and thyroid histological subtype
• Ability to give informed consent.
• Details of clinical follow-up available

For IReC-BIO only:

• FFPE blocks(s) or fresh frozen tumour tissue available for collection
• Two or more tumour-containing blocks available from the same specimen

For QoL Questionnaires only:

• Patients who have received a diagnosis of rHNC no earlier than 6 weeks prior to study entry

Exclusion criteria

• Recurrent cutaneous (e.g., SCC, melanoma), sarcomatous, and lymphatic or haematological (e.g. lymphoma) malignancies of the head and neck

For IReC-BIO only:

• FFPE tumour samples contain insufficient tumour sample for analysis.
• Insufficient clinical details available

For QoL Questionnaires only:

• Patients who have received a diagnosis of rHNC more than 6 weeks prior to study entry