title: Immune suppression in head and neck cancers: a review.
abstract: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are the sixth most common cancer in the world. Despite significant advances in the treatment modalities involving surgery, radiotherapy, and concomitant chemoradiotherapy, the 5-year survival rate remained below 50% for the past 30 years. The worse prognosis of these cancers must certainly be link to the fact that HNSCCs strongly influence the host immune system. We present a critical review of our understanding of the HNSCC escape to the antitumor immune response such as a downregulation of HLA class I and/or components of APM. Antitumor responses of HNSCC patients are compromised in the presence of functional defects or apoptosis of T-cells, both circulating and tumor-infiltrating. Langerhans cells are increased in the first steps of the carcinogenesis but decreased in invasive carcinomas. The accumulation of macrophages in the peritumoral areas seems to play a protumoral role by secreting VEGF and stimulating the neoangiogenesis.
authors: Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
authors: Anaëlle
authors: A
authors: Duray
authors: Stéphanie
authors: S
authors: Demoulin
authors: Pascale
authors: P
authors: Hubert
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Delvenne
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Saussez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019139:Tumor Escape; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A