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Peer-reviewedCC BYEpigenomes

Markers of Biological Aging and Survival in Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Immunotherapy.

  • Drew R Nannini1,2
  • Inamul Haque2,3,4
  • Sushanta K Banerjee4,5
  • Suman Kambhampati1,2,4
5 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
  2. 2Department of Hematology and Oncology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 64128, USA.
  3. 3Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
  4. 4Cancer Research Unit, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 64128, USA.
  5. 5Department of Pathology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
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Abstract

Background/objectives

Immunotherapy has become a cornerstone in the treatment of recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC), but reliable noninvasive biomarkers of prognosis remain limited. We investigated the associations between markers of biological aging and survival outcomes among patients with R/M HNSCC treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).Methods

Peripheral blood samples collected prior to ICI initiation from 100 patients with R/M HNSCC underwent DNA methylation profiling using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array. Four epigenetic age acceleration measures were estimated from DNA methylation levels and evaluated for associations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).Results

Greater intrinsic and extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration were each associated with longer PFS (p = 0.025 and p = 0.048, respectively) and OS (p = 0.024 and p = 0.029, respectively). Significant interactions between GrimAge acceleration and chronological age were observed for both PFS (p = 0.010) and OS (p < 0.001). Greater GrimAge acceleration was associated with improved PFS among patients less than 65 years of age but shorter OS among patients 65 years of age or older.Conclusions

In this exploratory study, pretreatment epigenetic aging measures were associated with survival outcomes among patients with R/M HNSCC receiving ICIs. These findings suggest biological aging metrics may have clinical relevance and warrant further investigation as potential noninvasive prognostic biomarkers.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{nannini2026markers,
  title = {{Markers of Biological Aging and Survival in Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Immunotherapy.}},
  author = {Drew R Nannini and Inamul Haque and Sushanta K Banerjee and Suman Kambhampati},
  journal = {Epigenomes},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3390/epigenomes10040068},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924727},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Markers of Biological Aging and Survival in Recurrent and Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Immunotherapy.
AU  - Drew R Nannini
AU  - Inamul Haque
AU  - Sushanta K Banerjee
AU  - Suman Kambhampati
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/19
JO  - Epigenomes
DO  - 10.3390/epigenomes10040068
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924727
AB  - Background/objectives  Immunotherapy has become a cornerstone in the treatment of recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC), but reliable noninvasive biomarkers of prognosis remain limited. We investigated the associations between markers of biological aging and survival outcomes among patients with R/M HNSCC treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).Methods  Peripheral blood samples collected prior to ICI initiation from 100 patients with R/M HNSCC underwent DNA methylation profiling using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC array. Four epigenetic age acceleration measures were estimated from DNA methylation levels and evaluated for associations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).Results  Greater intrinsic and extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration were each associated with longer PFS (p = 0.025 and p = 0.048, respectively) and OS (p = 0.024 and p = 0.029, respectively). Significant interactions between GrimAge acceleration and chronological age were observed for both PFS (p = 0.010) and OS (p < 0.001). Greater GrimAge acceleration was associated with improved PFS among patients less than 65 years of age but shorter OS among patients 65 years of age or older.Conclusions  In this exploratory study, pretreatment epigenetic aging measures were associated with survival outcomes among patients with R/M HNSCC receiving ICIs. These findings suggest biological aging metrics may have clinical relevance and warrant further investigation as potential noninvasive prognostic biomarkers.
SN  - 2075-4655
ER  -