A bioconvergence study on platinum-free concurrent chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of HPV-negative head and neck carcinoma

Abstract

Locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) is characterized by high rate of recurrence, resulting in a poor survival. Standard treatments are associated with significant toxicities that impact the patient’s quality of life, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapies to improve patient outcomes. On this regard, noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging as promising agents as both drug carriers and radiosensitizers. On the other hand, co-treatments based on NPs are still at the preclinical stage because of the associated metal-persistence.

In this bioconvergence study, we introduce a novel strategy to exploit tumour chorioallantoic membrane models (CAMs) in radio-investigations within clinical equipment and evaluate the performance of non-persistent nanoarchitectures (NAs) in combination with radiotherapy with respect to the standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of HPV-negative HNSCCs. A comparable effect has been observed between the tested approaches, suggesting NAs as a potential platinum-free agent in concurrent chemoradiotherapy for HNSCCs. On a broader basis, our bioconvergence approach provides an advance for the translation of Pt-free radiosensitizer to the clinical practice, positively shifting the therapeutic vs. side effects equilibrium for the management of HNSCCs.

Keywords:

• Radiotherapy
• cisplatin
• head neck carcinoma
• combined therapy
• gold nanoparticles
• alternative biomodels

Authors’ contributions

In vivo experiments: A.G, P.S, A.Z., N.G., and V.F. Synthesis: V.F., M.L.E., and A.Z. Irradiation experiments: N.G., A.G., F.D.M., F.P., P.P., and S.L. Data analysis: A.G., and P.S. Project design and coordination: V.V., and F.P. All Authors have discussed the data and contributed to write the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

Authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

All data underlying the study are available upon request to the corresponding Authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the MFAG 2017 - ID 19852 granted to V.V. from Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC).