Gene Editing Breakthrough Offers New Hope for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Researchers at the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute have made an important advance in treating head and neck cancers. By using CRISPR gene editing, the team found a way to restore how well chemotherapy works in tumors that have stopped responding to treatment. Their results, now published in Molecular Therapy Oncology, could change how doctors treat these aggressive cancers and give new hope to many patients who face limited options.

Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, and cases are expected to rise by 30% every year by 2030. Even with progress in surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, many patients still reach a point where treatment no longer works. The ChristianaCare team aimed to solve this challenge at its source.

The researchers focused on a gene called NRF2. This gene acts like a master switch that helps cancer cells survive stress and resist chemotherapy. Because NRF2 plays such a central role in tumor growth, the team chose to develop a genetic therapy that disables the gene itself rather than targeting a single protein, which is common in traditional drug development. Since NRF2 is a transcription factor, shutting it down in a lasting way is more likely to succeed through CRISPR gene editing. Their major advance was showing that CRISPR can successfully disrupt NRF2 in head and neck cancer cells and in esophageal cancer cells. This work builds on earlier studies in lung cancer, where blocking NRF2 made tumors more sensitive to chemotherapy and improved survival in animal models. “Our goal was to break through the wall of drug resistance that so many patients face,” said Natalia Rivera‑Torres, Ph.D., the study’s lead author. “By precisely editing the NRF2 gene, we can make cancer cells vulnerable again to standard treatments. This could improve outcomes and quality of life.”

The study also showed that the location of the CRISPR cut within the NRF2 gene makes a big difference. The strongest results came from targeting exon 4, a part of the gene that controls a key section of the NRF2 protein. Editing this region reduced NRF2 levels by 90% and made cancer cells much more sensitive to chemotherapy. In comparison, editing exon 2 was less effective even though it still caused high levels of gene disruption.

The team also found that a process called exon skipping, where sections of genetic code are rearranged, can affect the outcome of gene editing. This discovery highlights how important careful design and testing are when building gene‑editing therapies.

ChristianaCare researchers saw the same results in both head and neck cancer cells and esophageal cancer cells. This suggests the strategy could help treat many solid tumors that have high levels of NRF2 and are known for strong drug resistance. “This is more than just a single experiment,” said Eric Kmiec, Ph.D., director of the Gene Editing Institute and senior author of the study. “We are building a platform that can be adapted to different cancers. Our earlier work in lung cancer showed the promise of this approach, and now we see it working in other hard‑to‑treat tumors. It is an exciting step toward making gene editing a meaningful part of cancer treatment.”

With these strong results, the team is now focused on finding the safest and most effective way to deliver the gene‑editing tools directly to tumors. Their goal is to reduce how much standard treatment a patient needs in order to get the best result with fewer side effects. “Drug resistance is one of the biggest challenges in cancer care,” Rivera‑Torres said. “If we can overcome it with gene editing, we could give patients more time, better quality of life and a renewed sense of hope.” Kmiec added that “we are committed to moving this technology forward quickly while always keeping the patient in mind. The future of cancer treatment is personal, precise and, we believe, within reach.” To contribute to innovation in cancer research and treatment at ChristianaCare, click here.