Ranee Mehra, MD, Medical Oncology, head and neck care team, lung cancer care team, Fox Chase Cancer Center, discusses the use of DNA repair enzymes, such as ERCC1, as predictive markers for resistance and survival in head and neck cancer patients.

Mehra explains that in a retrospective tumor sample analysis of patient that had received induction regimens follow by radiation or concurrent chemo radiation there was a clear trend towards improved response and survival outcomes for the patients with a lower expression of DNA repair enzymes.

This retrospective analysis will help establish further hypotheses. The role of DNA repair enzymes needs further investigation but does suggest a possible connection between low levels of the marker and resistance to platinum based or radiation therapy.