Title:Different Aspects of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Cancer Stem Cells, their Niche and Targeted Therapy
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Author(s): Meriç Bilgiç Küçükgüven and Betül Çelebi-Saltik*
Affiliation:
- Department of Stem Cell Sciences, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, 06100, Sihhiye, Ankara,Turkey
Keywords:
Cancer stem cells, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, biomarker, saliva, niche, liquid biopsy.
Abstract: Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is categorized as the sixth most
common cancer worldwide, with an incidence of more than 830,000 cases per year and a mortality
rate of 50%. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and Human Papillomavirus infection are the
prominent risks for HNSCC. Despite significant developments in the treatment of HNSCC, a high
rate of recurrences makes the clinical situation worse and results in poor survival rates. Recent perspectives
demonstrate that although epithelial transformation plays a crucial role in cancer development,
tumor surrounding microenvironment takes part in the progression of cancer as well. Cancer
Stem Cells (CSCs), which harbor unlimited self-renewal capacity, have a crucial role in the growth
of HNSCC and this cell population is responsible for tumor recurrence unless eliminated by targeted
therapy. CSCs are not only a promising target for tumor therapy but also a crucial biomarker to
determine the patients at high risk for undetermined results and disease development, just as the
bone marrow, which is the niche of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, is important for
stem cell maintenance. Similarly, the concept of microenvironment is also important for the maintenance
of CSCs. Apart from the cell-cell interactions, there are many parameters in the cancer microenvironment
that affect the development of cancer, such as extracellular regulation, vascularization,
microbial flora, pH, and oxygenation. The purpose of this review is to introduce HNSCC, explain
the role of CSCs and their microenvironment, and refer to the conventional and novel targeted
therapy for HNSCC and CSCs.
