Head and neck cancer: the possible role of stem cells.
There is a rising interest in the field of oncology in order to understand if cancer stem cells can play a key role also in the pathogenesis of head and neck tumors. It is likely that cancer stem cells are a minor population of tumor cells that possess the stem cell property of self-renewal. In addition, dysregulation of stem cell self-renewal is a likely requirement for the development of cancer. This new model for cancer will have significant ramifications for the way we will study and treat tumors. The authors are proposing a discussion of this topic, which, in their opinion, need to be further investigated in the ENT field.
Bianchini
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C
ENT Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, C.so Giovecca 203, 44100, Ferrara, Italy. chiara.bianchini@unife.it
Ciorba
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A
Pelucchi
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S
Piva
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R
Pastore
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A
D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*