Fig. 6: Candidate therapeutic targets for precision treatment of recurrent HPV⁺ HNSCC.

a Heatmap showing overexpression of a list of FDA-approved therapeutic targets in the recurrent tumors. The proteins are sorted, from top to bottom, with the corresponding p values calculated from the proteome data between the NR and R group. Proteins with >1.5-fold increase in the R group and p < 0.1 between R and NR groups are included. EGFR and PDGFR are among the significantly upregulated therapeutic targets. b A list of FDA-approved drug targets with a significant increase in phosphorylation in the recurrent tumors. Asterisk(*): kinase activity-inducing residue (e.g., MAP2K2, PRKCD, c-Jun phosphosites) based on the PhosphositePlus database. Phosphosites with >1.5-fold increase in the R group and p < 0.1 between R and NR groups are included. c A kinase and cytokine signaling network that regulates increased MMP9 expression in the recurrent tumors. The nodes consist of proteins or phosphosites increased in the R group (>1.5-fold increase and p < 0.1 between the R and NR groups). Kinases are shown in magenta. Components of the AP-1 transcription factor complex, c-Jun/JunB/JunD/c-Fos, are in green. In all the panels, n = 8 for the NR group, and n = 7 for the R group.