Long Non-Coding RNAs Emerging as Potential Epigenetic Biomarkers for Tobacco and/or Alcohol-Induced Head and Neck Cancer

Head and Neck cancer (HNC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal cancer globally. The incidence of tobacco-induced HNC is gradually increasing in low and middle income countries. Among the various causative factors associated with HNCs, tobacco and alcohol play synergistic effect and are frequently associated with the risk of HNC. Tobacco-induced HNCs show distinct genetic and epigenetic alterations leading to different clinical outcomes in comparison to HPV-infected HNCs. Tobacco-induced HNCs are often associated with tumor aggressiveness, poor prognosis and low or nil prevalence of HPV infection. Apart from carcinogenic effects of these causative factors (use of tobacco products, alcohol intake and HPV or EBV infections), recent studies show that exposure to these factors alter/disrupt the regulation of non-coding RNAs including the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Altered lncRNA regulation is brought about by signalling networks that regulate cellular differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis and inflammatory pathways which play key functions in the genesis of different cancers including HNCs. There are numbers of studies supporting the emerging role of lncRNAs in development of HNC; however, reports connecting lncRNAs expression and addiction habits in HNC are still preliminary and sparse. Therefore, identification and characterization of lncRNAs that are differentially expressed upon exposure to risk-factors can serve as unique therapeutic targets and potential biomarker(s) for effective treatment of HNC subtypes. In this short review, we briefly reviewed the emerging role of lncRNAs in tobacco and alcohol induced HNCs.

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A Multidisciplinary Approach to Head and Neck Cancer

Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology ◽

10.6004/jadpro.2021.12.3.18 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Side Effect ◽

Multidisciplinary Approach ◽

Hpv Infection ◽

Head And Neck Cancers

At JADPRO Live Virtual 2020, Casey Fazer-Posorske, PA-C, provided updates in the management of patients with head and neck cancer, including the types of head and neck cancers, their associated treatments and side-effect management, the role of de-escalation treatment, and the prevalence of HPV infection and role of vaccination in the prevention of head and neck cancer.

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Micro-ribonucleic acids in head and neck cancer: an introduction

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215113000753 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 127 (S2) ◽

pp. S2-S7 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

I Gunawardena ◽

J Fitzgerald ◽

A Morley ◽

D J Hussey ◽

C M Woods ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Potential Role ◽

Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽

Head And Neck Oncology ◽

Ribonucleic Acids ◽

Non Coding Rnas ◽

Cycle Regulation

AbstractBackground and methods:Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Advances in management have not greatly altered overall survival. Over the last decade, there have been significant scientific advances in our knowledge of cell cycle regulation and the complex oncogenic processes. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs which are integral to the regulation of gene expression and which play a part in carcinogenesis. The literature on the role of microRNA in head and neck cancer is reviewed.Objective:To introduce the role and significance of microRNAs in head and neck cancer.Results:The possibilities of incorporating microRNAs into clinical practice are discussed, including their potential role in diagnosis, prognosis, prediction of metastatic spread, therapy and tumour surveillance.Conclusion:Discoveries in expression profiling of microRNA in head and neck oncology promise advancements in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of these cancers.

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The prognostic role of micro-RNAs in Head and Neck Cancers: an umbrella review

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1112 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

M Mariani ◽

C Castagna ◽

R Pastorino ◽

S Boccia

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Umbrella Review ◽

Prognostic Role ◽

Epigenetic Biomarkers ◽

Micro Rnas

Abstract Head and neck cancer (HNC) represents the sixth most common cancer and the seventh cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Because of HNC high mortality and morbidity a support from the development of new biomarkers and personalized care for patients is needed. The role of micro-RNAs (miRs), as new epigenetic biomarkers, aimed at improving early diagnosis, predicting prognosis and establishing effective cancer therapies, has recently received considerable attention. The aim of this study was to conduct an umbrella review that synthetizes all the findings of systematic reviews already available in literature that investigate the prognostic role of miRs as potential biomarkers in the field of tertiary prevention of HNC. We selected systematic reviews, published in English until December 2019, related to human HNC with meta-analysis of observational studies that reported quantitative prognostic measures, Hazard Ratios (HRs), of Overall Survival (OS) or Disease-Free Survival (DFS). The methodological quality of the included reviews was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews AMSTAR 2 tool. Six systematic reviews were included in the umbrella review. The most reported miRNAs were: miR21; the Let7 family (c,d,g), miR17, 18 family, 20a, 29 family, 125b, 375. A total of 4 reviews assessed miR-21 expression in HNC patients, all showing its upregulation. The most frequently studied miR was miR21 which was reported either in the OS and DFS statistical analyses. The OS analysis showed a significant lower prognosis when miR21 was upregulated. It is involved in oncogenic and oncosuppressive cell signals pathways: the overexpression of miR21 was shown to be associated with cell proliferation, migration, invasion and survival. Recently the cumulative effects of sets of miRs has been increasingly studied and they might be stronger predictor of survival than single. The role of miRNAs as a prognostic biomarker specifically in HNC still need to be investigated. Key messages Some miRs were demonstrated to have as tumor-suppressing and oncogenic roles according to their level of regulation (up/down-regulation) in Head and Neck cancer patients. The role of miRs as prognostic biomarkers in HNC patients still need to be addressed by performing large scale to verify and enhance the power of evidence and clinical utility of these.

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