March 02, 2026

E35 - AI-Driven Drug Repurposing for Head and Neck Cancer

17 minutes

E35 | 18 min | Latest | Publication Link

Podcast based on: Tanikella, P.; Nenad, W.; Courtine, C.; Dai, Y.; Deng, Q.; Zou, B.; Osazuwa-Peters, N.; Schrank, T.P.; Wu, D. GARD: Genomic Data-Based Drug Repurposing in Head and Neck Cancer with Large Language Model Validation. Cancers 2026, 18, 757. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18050757

Type: Article | Publication date: 26 February 2026

Summary: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is among the most prevalent and challenging cancers worldwide. Developing new drugs is expensive and time consuming, so this study explored a faster, cost-effective approach utilizing existing medications with established safety profiles: drug repurposing. We developed the GARDpipeline (Genomic Alteration-based Repurposing for Drugs), which utilizes large-scale genomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to identify key genomic changes in HNC. These genes are expanded through protein–protein interaction networks to capture related pathways and then validated using evidence from thousands of PubMed articles extracted by large language model (LLM) tools. Finally, validated genes are matched with drugs using the DrugBank database. This approach uncovered both known cancer drugs and promising new candidates. These included targeted therapies such as Fostamatinib, Nintedanib, Brigatinib, Regorafenib, and Lenvatinib, as well as emerging compounds like Artenimol, Quercetin, and Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin). Through a combination of genomic analysis, network expansion, and literature validation, the GARD pipeline offers a powerful way to accelerate personalized cancer treatments while reducing cost and development time.

Keywords: head and neck cancer; drug repurposing; genomics

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This podcast provides a synthetically generated voice summary and discussion of scientific publications. The views expressed do not represent the views of the original authors, journals, or publishers. This podcast uses AI-assisted summaries, so it may or may not introduce inaccuracies or omit important details. Listeners are strongly encouraged to consult the original publications or sources for full context and accuracy. This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice, medical guidance, or recommendations. The creators of this podcast are not liable for any errors, omissions, or outcomes resulting from the use of the information provided.

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