New promising molecular targets in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Despite advances in multimodality therapy, the overall 5-year survival rate is 40-50% in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and current multimodality approaches impart significant toxicities. This review highlights promising targets with the potential to improve clinical outcomes in HNSCC.


RESULTS
In addition to mutagenic exposure to tobacco and alcohol as risk factors, recent studies have shown that human papillomavirus is one of the main causes of HNSCC and as such is being investigated as a therapeutic target. Furthermore, recent data generated from whole exome sequencing of HNSCC, new insights into the biology of DNA damage repair, and increased understanding of tumor hypoxia responses are pointing to new therapeutic possibilities for treating HNSCC.


CONCLUSIONS
HNSCC is a heterogeneous disease. Improved treatment will require a rapid translation of basic science research, and the simultaneous development of novel therapeutics and corresponding biomarkers to guide their application.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Cancer Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
Julie E
JE
Bauman
Loren S
LS
Michel
Christine H
CH
Chung
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D052685:Alphapapillomavirus; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051881:Receptor, Notch1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; C495901:TP53 protein, human; C546842:MTOR protein, human