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Review
. 2019 Sep;2(3):152-165.
doi: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbz016. Epub 2019 Oct 1.

Targeting cancer stem cells in squamous cell carcinoma

Demeng Chen  1 , Cun-Yu Wang  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Targeting cancer stem cells in squamous cell carcinoma

Demeng Chen et al. Precis Clin Med. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly aggressive tumor and the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Current treatment strategies for HNSCC are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or combinatorial therapies. However, the overall 5-year survival rate of HNSCC patients remains at about 50%. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small population among tumor cells, are able to self-renew and differentiate into different tumor cell types in a hierarchical manner, similar to normal tissue. In HNSCC, CSCs are proposed to be responsible for tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence. In this review, we discuss the molecular and cellular characteristics of CSCs in HNSCC. We summarize current approaches used in the literature for identification of HNSCC CSCs, and mechanisms required for CSC regulation. We also highlight the role of CSCs in treatment failure and therapeutic targeting options for eliminating CSCs in HNSCC.

Keywords: cancer stem cells; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; lymph node metastasis; resistance.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Properties of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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