Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Despite advances in the treatment management, locally advanced disease has a poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 50%. The growth of HNSCC is maintained by a population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which possess unlimited self-renewal potential and induce tumor regrowth if not completely eliminated by therapy. The population of CSCs is not only a promising target for tumor treatment, but also an important biomarker to identify the patients at risk for therapeutic failure and disease progression. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent pre-clinical and clinical studies on the biology and potential therapeutic implications of HNSCC stem cells.
Highlights
Squamous cell carcinomas make up the majority of head and neck cancers (HNSCC) which have an incidence of around 600,000 new cases per year worldwide, being responsible for about 1–2% of all cancer deaths [1]
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, this study demonstrated that tumor heterogeneity is clinically important and predictive of overall survival in Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients [97]
Despite the specific biomarkers for cancer stem cells (CSCs) identification in HNSCC are still under debate, the clinical importance of this cell population has become more evident during the last years
Summary
Squamous cell carcinomas make up the majority of head and neck cancers (HNSCC) which have an incidence of around 600,000 new cases per year worldwide, being responsible for about 1–2% of all cancer deaths [1]. Together with the infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV) [3]. Common manifestation sites include the lip, oral and nasal cavities, pharynx and larynx. The clinical staging is based on the TNM-classification which describes the size of the primary tumor (T), the involvement of regional lymph nodes (N) and the development of distant metastasis (M). Locoregional tumors oftentimes can be surgically removed. Upon diagnosis many tumors are already in a locally advanced stage, which, in combination with an HPV-DNA-negative status [4], leads to a poor prognosis despite multimodal treatment options including surgery, radio- and chemotherapy. More than 50% of patients with locally advanced HNSCC
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