Progression of cancer

Targeted Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Aims and background

This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms at the basis of cancer initiation and progression in the head and neck and also discusses the possible development of targeted cellular strategies. Intrinsic and acquired resistance of cancer cells to current conventional treatments, as well as recurrence, represent a major challenge in treating and curing the most aggressive and metastatic tumors also in the head and neck. Even though in some hematologic malignancies (i.e., non-Hodgkin's lymphomas) antibodies specifically designed to target tumor-specific cells have already been introduced, in solid tumors molecular targeted therapy is now entering clinical practice.

Methods

A Pub Med database systematic review.

Results and conclusions

Molecular targeting could achieve specific damage to cancer cells, at the same time preserving functionally important tissues. This could offer new prospectives in primary and adjuvant treatment also of head and neck tumors.

Head and neck cancer: the possible role of stem cells

There is a rising interest in the field of oncology in order to understand if cancer stem cells can play a key role also in the pathogenesis of head and neck tumors. It is likely that cancer stem cells are a minor population of tumor cells that possess the stem cell property of self-renewal. In addition, dysregulation of stem cell self-renewal is a likely requirement for the development of cancer. This new model for cancer will have significant ramifications for the way we will study and treat tumors. The authors are proposing a discussion of this topic, which, in their opinion, need to be further investigated in the ENT field.