Selected genetic determinants of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma including of some genes for cell cycle control and DNA repair

Abstract

The head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, which are located in different anatomical structures like: oral cavity, throat and larynx, are becoming a major clinical problem due to the ever increasing number of cases and also due to difficulty with treating patients. Among the risks factors associated with that group of cancers the exogenous factors such as: exposure to carcinogens in tobacco smoke, alcohol abuse, impropriety dietary habits, poor oral hygiene as well as infection with the human papillomavirus and infection with Epstein-Barr virus, are well-known and had been described. The second potential group of the risk factors are endogenous factors such as genetic predisposition and disorder immune system. Recently, in view of technical progress of molecular biology, the aim of researches became the polymorphisms the most of genes encoding proteins with a wide variety of functions. In the present study we comprehensively discussed the problems associated with the molecular basis of development the head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma. More specifically, this study investigated the single nucleotide polymorphisms and mutations of genes involved in cell cycle control (TP53, p73, CDKN1A, CDKN2A, MDM2, E2F1, E2F2 and EGFR) and in different pathways of DNA repair (XPA, XPB, XPC, XPD, XPF, XPG, ERCC1, OGG1, XRCC1, NBS1, RAD51, BRCA2, XRCC2, XRCC3, XRCC5 and XRCC6). The results of studies indicate a mixed picture of genetic predisposition of the head and neck cancers. Nevertheless, it can be observed that a single polymorphism of specific gene moderately influence on the pathogenesis of that cancers. Commonly, coexistence of few polymorphism at the same time may increase the cancer risk significantly. It is undeniable that the issues discussed in that article should be the subject of further analysis.