title: Targeting proliferation and survival pathways in head and neck cancer for therapeutic benefit.
abstract: Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are common human malignancies with poor clinical outcomes. The 5-year survival rates for patients with advanced stage HNSCC have not changed appreciably in the past few decades, underscoring a dire need for improved therapeutic options. Recent studies have elucidated a key signaling axis, the EGFR-STAT3-Bcl-XL signaling axis, that is aberrantly activated in a majority of HNSCC and contributes to the proliferation and survival of malignant cells. Considerable effort is being placed on developing highly specific inhibitors of different components of this pathway. This review highlights the progress that is being made towards achieving potent inhibition of the EGFR-STAT3-Bcl-XL signaling axis in HNSCC and the promising therapeutic strategies that are currently under development for this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. johnsond@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C501332:ABT-737; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D009596:Nitrophenols; D010879:Piperazines; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D013449:Sulfonamides; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D066246:ErbB Receptors