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Review
. 2016 Mar 29;8(4):41.
doi: 10.3390/cancers8040041.

HPV Positive Head and Neck Cancers: Molecular Pathogenesis and Evolving Treatment Strategies

Rüveyda Dok  1 , Sandra Nuyts  2   3
Affiliations
Review

HPV Positive Head and Neck Cancers: Molecular Pathogenesis and Evolving Treatment Strategies

Rüveyda Dok et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease that is the result of tobacco and/or alcohol abuse or infection with high-risk Human papillomaviruses. Despite the fact that HPV positive HNSCC cancers form a distinct clinical entity with better treatment outcome, all HNSCC are currently treated uniformly with the same treatment modality. At present, biologic basis of these different outcomes and their therapeutic influence are areas of intense investigation. In this review, we will summarize the molecular basis for this different outcome, novel treatment opportunities and possible biomarkers for HPV positive HNSCC. In particular, the focus will be on several molecular targeted strategies that can improve the chemoradiation response by influencing DNA repair mechanisms.

Keywords: HPV; head and neck cancer; molecular pathogenesis; radiation therapy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A short overview of HPV infection in cells.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A short overview of targetable oncogenic pathways in HPV+ HNSCC.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A short overview of DNA double strand break (DSB) repair mechanisms.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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