Identification of Circulating Tumor Cells: A Prognostic Marker in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck?

Abstract

In 2010, according to the NCI, 49,260 new cases of oral cavity, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer were estimated to occur in the United States; approximately 11,480 deaths were attributed to these cases. More than 95% of these cases are squamous cell carcinomas (1, 2). For all stages combined, the 5-year survival rate is approximately 50% (3), and this rate has not changed significantly in the last several decades. Treatment failure in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) can include local recurrence, regional recurrence (cervical lymph nodes), distant metastasis, or development of a second primary cancer. There is certainly a need for a reliable blood test to determine prognosis in SCCHN patients, specifically those patients who may be at increased risk of locoregional recurrence or distant metastasis.