African-American patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma survive on average two and a half years after diagnosis, while European Americans survive an average of 4.8 years—nearly twice as long. New research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine reveals that genetic ancestry plays a key role in determining tumor behavior and may help explain this stark disparity.
Researchers analyzed data from 523 patients stored in The Cancer Genome Atlas and discovered that ancestry, rather than self-identified race, was a stronger predictor of genetic differences between tumors. The study identified how genetic differences associate with gene mutations or changes that drive tumor cell division speed and determine whether tumors will respond to chemotherapy or spread to other organs.
Lead author Madeleine Ndahayo and senior author Daria Gaykalova found that genetic ancestry influences patterns of tumor mutations, DNA copy gains or losses, and gene activity. Some alterations may be protective while others contribute to more aggressive disease. These biological differences may help explain variations in treatment response and survival, potentially supporting development of more precise treatment approaches.
Previous research demonstrated that survival differences between those who self-identify as Black and white may be associated with differences in smoking or drinking rates or delays in diagnosis related to limited access to care. While these remain essential factors, the new study suggests tumors arising in patients with different genetic ancestries can exhibit distinct biological features affecting cancer cell growth and treatment response.
Gaykalova emphasized that “social factors matter, but it also shows that biological drivers linked to ancestry must be considered if we want truly effective precision medicine.”
See: “Researchers discover genetic ancestry is a critical component of assessing head and neck cancerous tumors” (January 30, 2026)Â
