Nuclear Factor Kappa B: A Potential Target to Persecute Head and Neck Cancer

Abstract

Despite the consistent and significant advancements made in the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNSCC), it remains one of the most devastating cancers globally killing approximately 350,000 people every year. Both clinical and basic research revealed that the transcription factor NF-κB, is constitutively expressed in HNSCC and this persistent expression of NF-κB is the root cause of this disease resulting in cancer cell proliferation, survival, invasion, metastases and poor survival of patients. Activation of NF-κB is pragmatic in most of the premalignant dysplastic lesions indicating it as an early episode in malignant transformation of this disease. Therefore, therapies designed to inhibit or block the activity of NF-κB, would result in downregulation of key cellular processes involved in tumor growth and its dissemination to metastatic sites. In addition, substantial evidences have revealed that NF-κB plays an indispensable role in the development of both chemo and radiation resistance in HNSCC which is identified to be a primary cause for the failure of therapies. This shows the potential of targeting NF- κB in developing therapies against this disease. This review summarises the role of NF-κB in the development of HNSCC and the potential of using NF-κB as a target to develop novel highly effective therapies for this disease.

Keywords: IκBα; NF-kB; NF-kB inhibitors.; cytokines; head and neck cancer; oral squamous cell carcinoma.