Article
Oncology
Moran Amit, Chuan Liu, Jobran Mansour, Frederico O. Gleber-Netto, Samantha Tam, Erez N. Baruch, Mohamed Aashiq, Adel K. El-Naggar, Amy C. Moreno, David I. Rosenthal, Bonnie S. Glisson, Renata Ferrarotto, Michael K. Wong, Kenneth Tsai, Elsa R. Flores, Michael R. Migden, Deborah A. Silverman, Goujun Li, Anshu Khanna, Ryan P. Goepfert, Priyadharsini Nagarajan, Randal S. Weber, Jeffrey N. Myers, Neil D. Gross
Summary: The study showed that elective neck dissection (END) did not improve survival rates for patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) of the head and neck and no evidence of regional metastasis. Further research is needed to clarify the role of END in patients with advanced disease.
Article
Oncology
Su Il Kim, Seon Rang Woo, Joo Kyung Noh, Min Kyeong Lee, Young Chan Lee, Jung Woo Lee, Moonkyoo Kong, Seong-Gyu Ko, Young-Gyu Eun
Summary: This study examined the clinical significance of cancer stem cell (CSC) biomarker genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and found that the CSC gene expression signature is associated with the prognosis of HNSCC. It may help in personalized treatments, especially in cases with HPV (-) status.
Article
Oncology
Hideyuki Takahashi, Susumu Rokudai, Reika Kawabata-Iwakawa, Koichi Sakakura, Tetsunari Oyama, Masahiko Nishiyama, Kazuaki Chikamatsu
Summary: The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is crucial in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, particularly with regards to AKT3 expression, which can potentially predict immunoreactivity and prognosis of HNSCC. AKT3-specific inhibition may serve as a novel cancer therapy targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
Article
Otorhinolaryngology
Yukinori Takenaka, Atsuhiko Uno, Hidenori Tanaka, Norihiko Takemoto, Hidenori Inohara
Summary: The study investigated the rates of distant metastasis (DM) and prognoses of different histological variants of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The lowest DM rate was found in verrucous carcinoma (0.2%) and the highest in basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (9.4%). Adenosquamous carcinoma had an odds ratio (OR) of 3.63 for DM, basaloid squamous cell carcinoma had an OR of 6.80, and spindle cell carcinoma had an OR of 3.91. Metastatic spindle cell carcinoma had a poor overall survival (HR, 1.61).
HEAD AND NECK-JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES AND SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK
(2023)
Review
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Areeg Elmusrati, Justin Wang, Cun-Yu Wang
Summary: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by high morbidity and low survival rates, with limited therapeutic options. The immune system plays a key role in cancer surveillance against HNSCC initiation and progression. The interaction between cancer cells and the host immune system has a detrimental effect on the tumor microenvironment, promoting angiogenesis, proliferation, and metastasis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Cilgia Duer, Cinzia Salmina, Urs Borner, Roland Giger, Lluis Nisa Nisa
Summary: This study evaluated the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications of IGLN metastases in cSCCHN, finding that parotid metastases have high sensitivity and negative predictive value for occult nodal neck metastases. IGLN status may predict occult nodal neck metastases, suggesting that unnecessary neck dissection in patients with negative IGLNs and clinically negative neck lymph nodes could be avoided.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Craig P. Mooney, Kan Gao, Jonathan R. Clark, Ruta Gupta, Kerwin Shannon, Carsten E. Palme, Ardalan Ebrahimi, Sydney Ch'ng, Tsu-Hui (Hubert) Low
Summary: Soft tissue metastases (STM) in head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (HNcSCC) are non-nodal based metastases to the parotid and cervical soft tissues of the head and neck. This study found that the presence of STM is associated with poor prognosis in HNcSCC patients, with age and number of STM deposits being independent predictors of worse survival.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Edyta M. Borkowska, Magda Baranska, Magdalena Kowalczyk, Wioletta Pietruszewska
Summary: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a significant cause of mortality with genetic factors playing a crucial role in their etiology. Detection of genetic mutations and HPV infection in tumor samples can provide important prognostic information.
Review
Oncology
Flora Yan, Brittny N. Tillman, Rajiv I. Nijhawan, Divya Srivastava, David J. Sher, Vladimir Avkshtol, Jade Homsi, Justin A. Bishop, Erin M. Wynings, Rebecca Lee, Larry L. Myers, Andrew T. Day
Summary: The current state of high-risk head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (HNcSCC) is poorly characterized due to the rapidly evolving nature of the field. Clinical and pathologic risk factors for adverse outcomes are nuanced, leading to challenges in treatment and staging systems. Population-based registries tracking updated, nuanced risk factors and outcomes are needed to guide the development of improved staging systems, along with more randomized controlled trials to evaluate treatment methods.
ANNALS OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Meenakkshy Manoharan, Noah S. Kalman, Guilherme Rabinowits
Summary: This article discusses the workflow issues of an unknown primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and provides corresponding strategies to address them. Current work-up procedures are not standardized and time-consuming, leading to delays in treatment initiation.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sindhu Nair, James A. Bonner, Markus Bredel
Summary: EGFR is overexpressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and anti-EGFR strategies have shown some clinical benefit but often lead to resistance. Mutations in various domains of the EGFR gene can impact drug binding, radiation response, and overall survival in HNSCC patients. Understanding the EGFR mutational landscape and its effects on treatment resistance can help stratify patients for targeted therapies and maximize therapeutic benefits.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Kayla R. Getz, Emily Bellile, Katie R. Zarins, Cailey Rullman, Steven B. Chinn, Jeremy M. G. Taylor, Laura S. Rozek, Gregory T. Wolf, Alison M. Mondul
Summary: The study identified a significant inverse association between statin use and overall death, disease-specific death, and recurrence in untreated HNSCC patients. This protective effect was particularly pronounced in patients with HPV-positive disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Shao Wenhua, Takaaki Tsunematsu, Masaaki Umeda, Hiroaki Tawara, Natsumi Fujiwara, Yasuhiro Mouri, Rieko Arakaki, Naozumi Ishimaru, Yasusei Kudo
Summary: Recently, it has been reported that the partial-epithelial-mesenchymal transition (p-EMT) program is associated with metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The study focused on the role of a novel cancer-specific POSTN isoform, Iso5, in HNSCC and found that Iso5 promoted invasion together with another isoform, Iso3. The researchers suggest that Iso5 can be a useful marker for detecting cancer cells undergoing p-EMT and a potential target for diagnosis and therapy in HNSCC.
Review
Oncology
Geet Madhukar, Naidu Subbarao
Summary: Although targeted chemotherapy has been successful in treating head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), there is still a stagnant improvement in survival rates due to undesirable chemotherapy reactions, non-specificity of drugs, drug resistance, and toxicity on non-cancerous tissues. Various studies have identified promising drug targets capable of effectively treating HNSCC.
CURRENT CANCER DRUG TARGETS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Tien-Hua Chen, Yi-Ying Pan, Tsung-Lun Lee, Ling-Wei Wang, Shyh-Kuan Tai, Pen-Yuan Chu, Wen-Liang Lo, Cheng-Hsien Wu, Muh-Hwa Yang, Peter Mu-Hsin Chang
Summary: This study investigated the treatment outcomes and clinical factors associated with better survival outcomes in patients with locally recurrent and distant metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who were treated with a cetuximab-containing regimen. The results showed that patients with local recurrence had longer overall survival and progression-free survival compared to those with distant metastasis, and there were more patients with oral cavity cancer and early recurrence within 6 months after radiation therapy in the local recurrence group.
Article
Oncology
Andra S. Martinikova, Miroslav Stoyanov, Anna Oravetzova, Yannick P. Kok, Shibo Yu, Jana Dobrovolna, Pavel Janscak, Marcel van Vugt, Libor Macurek
Summary: Oncogene-induced replication stress is a major cause of genome instability in cancer cells. This study reveals that increased activity of PPM1D exacerbates replication stress caused by cyclin E1 overexpression, leading to abnormal cell cycle progression and accumulation of DNA copy number alterations. Pharmacological inhibition of PPM1D can alleviate replication stress-induced genome instability.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Alamelu G. Bharadwaj, Meghan E. McLean, Margaret L. Dahn, Hannah F. Cahill, Marie-Claire D. Wasson, Raj Pranap Arun, Olivia L. Walker, Brianne M. Cruickshank, Wasundara Fernando, Jaganathan Venkatesh, Penelope J. Barnes, Gillian Bethune, Gregory Knapp, Lucy K. Helyer, Carman A. Giacomantonio, David M. Waisman, Paola Marcato
Summary: ALDH1A3 regulates the plasminogen activation pathway to promote breast cancer metastasis. Co-expression of ALDH1A3 and tPA is associated with TNBC subtype, high tumor grade, and recurrent metastatic disease.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Nayela N. Chowdhury, Yi Yang, Ananya Dutta, Michelle Luo, Zimu Wei, Sara R. Abrahams, Alexey S. Revenko, Fenil Shah, Lindsey A. Miles, Robert J. Parmer, Bas de Laat, Alisa S. Wolberg, James P. Luyendyk, Melissa L. Fishel, Matthew J. Flick
Summary: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly fatal metastatic disease associated with robust activation of the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. Primary fibrinolytic protease plasminogen promotes PDAC tumor growth and metastatic potential through engaging plasminogen receptors on tumor cells.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Oncology
Nuria Gendrau-Sanclemente, Agnes Figueras, Kristina Gracova, Alvaro Lahiguera, Elisenda Alsina-Sanchis, Juan A. Marin-Jimenez, August Vidal, Xavier Matias-Guiu, Sergi Fernandez-Gonzalez, Marc Barahona, Lola Marti, Jordi Ponce, Francesc Vinals
Summary: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the deadliest gynecological malignancy, spreads through transcoelomic dissemination. This study reveals that platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ) is essential for the formation of tumorspheres in HGSOC. Inhibition of PDGFRβ blocks the clustering of ovarian cancer cells and prevents peritoneal dissemination.
MOLECULAR ONCOLOGY
(2024)