# MicroRNA-based prognostic model for early-stage oral cancer patients

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2020 · $342,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Each year an estimated 400,000 people globally, among them 30,000 Americans, are newly diagnosed with
oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Of the newly diagnosed oral cancer cases, ~80% are in the tumor-
node-metastasis (TNM) Stage I/II without regional lymph node involvement or distant metastasis. For these
early-stage oral cancer patients, the five-year survival rate is estimated to be 60%. Currently, there is no
means to distinguish 60% of early-stage patients who will most likely survive from the 40% who are at high-risk
for cancer-specific death. As 80% of oral cancer patients are in early stage at the time of diagnosis, a window
of opportunity exists in which accurate prognostication and subsequent decisions for proper treatment will
dramatically improve 5-year survival of patients with this deadly disease. We have previously discovered
microRNA (miRNA) signatures, miRNA-375 and 214-3p, using next generation sequencing that have high
prognostic power to identify individuals at increased risk for cancer-specific death. In the current proposal, we
aim to develop, refine and validate the miRNA-based prognostic model of 5-year cancer survival and to identify
optimal therapeutic strategy for the high and low risk strata. In Aim 1, using a retrospective study design, we
will discover prognostic miRNA signatures using next-generation sequencing and validated in the independent
internal validation cohort from Columbia University Medical Center using qRT-PCR in early-stage oral cancer
patients treated with surgery only. We will develop a miRNA-based prognostic model consisting of miRNA
signatures and prognostically significant clinico-demographic covariates. We will then externally validate the
miRNA-based prognostic model in a second, independent cohort from the NCI-sponsored Cooperative Human
Tissue Network (CHTN). Moreover, we will construct and validate a cancer-specific mortality risk score
formula, which is personalized formula consisting of the patient’s miRNA expression levels and the clinico-
demographic covariates, weighted by their respective regression coefficient. In Aim 2, we will identify treatment
regimens (elective neck dissection, radiation therapy, or elective neck dissection with radiotherapy following
surgery of primary tumor) associated with survival benefit in high and low risk groups, stratified based on the
miRNA-based prognostic model developed in Aim 1. This R01 proposal describes a 4-year research project
aimed at developing clinically applicable strategy in personalized molecular management of early-stage OSCC
patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9949695
- **Project number:** 5R01DE026801-04
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Angela Jiyeon Yoon
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $342,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-10 → 2021-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9949695

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9949695, MicroRNA-based prognostic model for early-stage oral cancer patients (5R01DE026801-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9949695. Licensed CC0.

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