Tohoku University
Graduate School of Dentistry

Approximately 90% of cancer-related deaths are caused by metastasis, making the early detection and control of metastatic disease one of the most critical challenges in cancer therapy. Among metastatic processes, lymph node metastasis—frequently observed at an early stage in many cancers—plays a pivotal role in subsequent distant metastasis and patient prognosis.

 

In this field, we aim to develop ultra-early diagnostic and therapeutic strategies targeting lymph node metastasis, with a particular focus on the Lymphatic Drug Delivery System (LDDS). LDDS is an original therapeutic concept designed to selectively and efficiently deliver anticancer agents directly into lymph nodes, with the goal of achieving enhanced therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity—an outcome that is difficult to achieve with conventional systemic administration.

 

To achieve this, we conduct comprehensive preclinical studies by integrating high-sensitivity and high-resolution imaging techniques, including bioluminescence imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging, and micro-computed tomography, with advanced genomic analyses such as single-cell RNA sequencing and exome analysis. These approaches enable a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying lymph node metastasis and therapeutic responses.

 

Based on these accumulated preclinical achievements, a specified clinical research study using the LDDS approach targeting metastatic lymph nodes in patients with head and neck cancer has been initiated at Iwate Medical University and Tohoku University Hospital. Through this work, our field actively promotes translational research that bridges fundamental discoveries and clinical application, with the ultimate goal of establishing innovative therapeutic strategies for metastatic cancer.