Extracellular miRNAs as Biomarkers of Head and Neck Cancer Progression and Metastasis

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) contribute to over 300,000 deaths every year worldwide. Although the survival rates have improved in some groups of patients, mostly due to new treatment options and the increasing percentage of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers, local recurrences and second primary tumors remain a great challenge for the clinicians. Presently, there is no biomarker for patient surveillance that could help identify patients with HNSCC that are more likely to experience a relapse or early progression, potentially requiring closer follow-up or salvage treatment. MicoRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNA molecules that posttranscriptionally modulate gene expression. They are highly stable and their level can be measured in biofluids including serum, plasma, and saliva, enabling quick results and allowing for repeated analysis during and after the completion of therapy. This has cemented the role of miRNAs as biomarkers with a huge potential in oncology. Since altered miRNA expression was described in HNSCC and many miRNAs play a role in radio- and chemotherapy resistance, cancer progression, and metastasis, they can be utilized as biomarkers of these phenomena. This review outlines recent discoveries in the field of extracellular miRNA-based biomarkers of HNSCC progression and metastasis, with a special focus on HPV-related cancers and radioresistance.

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Locally Recurrent, Previously Irradiated Head and Neck Cancer: Concurrent Re-Irradiation and Chemotherapy, or Chemotherapy Alone?

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2005.05.3850 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 24 (17) ◽

pp. 2653-2658 ◽

Cited By ~ 91

Author(s):

Stuart J. Wong ◽

Mitchell Machtay ◽

Yi Li

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck Cancer ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Neck Cancer ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Concurrent Chemotherapy ◽

Second Primary ◽

Primary Tumors ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Locally Recurrent

Patients with locally recurrent head and neck cancer previously treated with radiation have a poor prognosis. Administration of a second course of radiation to tissues within a previous radiation portal, has been traditionally considered unsafe. Survival rates of highly selected patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy and re-irradiation may be as high as 25% at 2 years—exceeding the outcome of matched historical controls treated with chemotherapy alone (10%). However, many questions exist regarding the use of re-irradiation. Uncertainty exists over the criteria for selecting patients who are most appropriate for treatment with re-irradiation. Even greater concern exists regarding toxicity and functional sequelae associated with the use of re-irradiation. Whether the benefits of re-irradiation on locoregional disease control and survival outweigh its potentially severe and life-threatening adverse effects is not clear. In this review, we will discuss re-irradiation and other treatment options for squamous cell carcinoma patients with previously irradiated, locoregional recurrent or second primary tumors in the head and neck, and describe a recently initiated randomized trial comparing chemotherapy plus re-irradiation with chemotherapy.

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Prognostic and Therapeutic Potential of Nuclear Receptors in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Journal of Oncology ◽

10.1155/2009/349205 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2009 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shirley K. Knauer

Keyword(s):

Head And Neck ◽

Nuclear Receptors ◽

Squamous Cell ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Squamous Cell Carcinomas ◽

High Rate ◽

Second Primary ◽

Tumor Entity

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas are among the most common neoplasms worldwide and characterized by local tumor aggressiveness, high rate of early recurrences, development of metastasis, and second primary cancers. Despite modern therapeutic strategies and sophisticated surgical management, overall survival-rates remained largely unchanged over the last decades. Thus, the need for novel treatment options for this tumor entity is undeniable. A key event in carcinogenesis is the uncontrolled modulation of genetic programs. Nuclear receptors belong to a large superfamily of transcription factors implicated in a broad spectrum of physiological and pathophysiological processes, including cancer. Several nuclear receptors have also been associated with head and neck cancer. This review will summarize their mode of action, prognostic/therapeutic relevance, as well as preclinical and clinical studies currently targeting nuclear receptors in this tumor entity.

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