title: Cancer stem cells hypothesis and stem cells in head and neck cancers.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that the growth and spread of cancer is driven by a small subpopulation of cancer cells, defined as cancer stem cells (CSCs). Recent data indicate that the initiation, growth, recurrence and metastasis of cancers are related to the behavior of a small population of malignant cells with properties of stem cells, and information about them are potentially helpful in identifying the target for the tumor's therapeutic elimination. The presence of subpopulation cells with phenotypic and behavioral characteristics corresponding to both normal epithelial stem cells and to cells capable of initiating tumors has been also reported in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs).
authors.affiliation: First University Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Director Prof. Oreste Gallo, University of Florence, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi, Via Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Firenze, Italy. giudittamannelli@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Giuditta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mannelli
authors.forename: Oreste
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C497483:CD44 protein, human; D006023:Glycoproteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D010455:Peptides; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase