EBV induced malignancies and SSTR2-Positive Malignancies

Project lead

Why this matters 

Some rare head and neck cancers, including nasopharyngeal cancer and olfactory neuroblastoma, can be difficult to diagnose, classify, and treat. SSTR2 offers a promising route for improved diagnosis, imaging, prognosis, and targeted therapy. 

Our aims 

We aim to: 

• Optimise SSTR2 as a companion diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.
• Develop automated image analysis tools to support SSTR2 scoring.
• Understand why SSTR2 is overexpressed in certain cancers.
• Identify targetable vulnerabilities in SSTR2-positive tumours.
• Test SSTR2-targeting agents and related therapeutic pathways.
• Support future early-phase clinical trials with academic and industry partners.  

Key research areas 

SSTR2 as a biomarker 

Our team has completed major studies assessing SSTR2 expression in sinonasal cancers, including nasopharyngeal cancer and olfactory neuroblastoma. These findings support further investigation of SSTR2 as a clinically relevant biomarker. 

SSTR2-targeted imaging and therapy 

The programme explores how SSTR2 could be used to guide imaging and treatment decisions, particularly in neuroendocrine and SSTR2-positive cancers. 

Mechanisms of SSTR2 overexpression 

We are investigating the molecular basis of SSTR2 overexpression, with the aim of identifying new biological pathways and treatment opportunities. 

Cancer types of interest 

This workstream includes: 

• Nasopharyngeal cancer
• Olfactory neuroblastoma
• Sinonasal cancers
• Small cell lung cancer
• Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours
• Pituitary adenoma
• Brain tumours
• Selected prostate cancers
• Virally induced neuroendocrine tumours  

Collaboration 

This programme works with international research networks, including EUSICA and INSICA, as well as industry partners. 

Impact 

The goal is to translate SSTR2 research into better diagnostic tools, improved risk prediction, targeted imaging, and new treatment strategies for patients with SSTR2-positive cancers. 

Key publications

1. Lechner M, et al. Clinical Outcomes, Kadish-INSICA Staging and Therapeutic Targeting of SSTR2 in Olfactory Neuroblastoma. Eur J Cancer. 2022;162:221-236.
2. Lechner M, et al. Somatostatin Receptor 2 Expression in Nasopharyngeal Cancer Is Induced by Epstein-Barr Virus Infection: Impact on Prognosis, Imaging and Therapy. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):117.
3. Zhu T, Liu J, Beck S … Teschendorff AE. A Pan-Tissue DNA Methylation Atlas Enables In Silico Decomposition of Human Tissue Methylomes at Cell-Type Resolution. Nat Methods. 2022;19(3):296-306.
4. Steele CD, Abbasi A, Islam SMA … Alexandrov LB, Pillay N. Signatures of Copy Number Alterations in Human Cancer. Nature. 2022.
5. Masterson L, Howard J, Gonzalez-Cruz J … Porceddu S, Lechner M. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Beyond an Era of Chemoradiation? Int J Cancer. 2020;146(8):2305-2314.
6. Chakravarthy A, Furness A, Joshi K … Feber A, Fenton TR. Pan-Cancer Deconvolution of Tumour Composition Using DNA Methylation. Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):3220.
7. London NR Jr, Hanna GJ, Akhave NS … Verillaud B, Lechner M. International Network for Sinonasal Cancer Research (INSICA): A Collaborative Group to Advance Research and Clinical Trials for Rare Sinonasal Malignancies. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2025 Dec 17:djaf366.
8. Kuan EC, Wang EW, Adappa ND … Lechner M … Palmer JN. International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Sinonasal Tumors. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2023.

Funders