title: Advances in nanomedicine for head and neck cancer.
abstract: The quality of life of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has been improved because of advances in surgical and radiotherapeutic techniques as well as organ-preservation methods. Despite such progresses, survival rates are dismal because of frequent recurrences, distant metastases and the development of secondary primary tumors. Nanoparticles have distinct characteristics such as a high surface/volume ratio and surface charge and size that can be easily modified. Because of such inherent features, nanoparticles are used in imaging, adjuvant radiotherapy, and drug- or gene-delivery. Thus, nanomedicine holds great promise in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In the present review, we summarize recent advances in nanomedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer. We first review the application of inorganic nanoparticles to photo-thermal and magneto-thermal radiotherapy. We also discuss the use of organic nanoparticles in drug- or gene-delivery during chemotherapy. We then review the application of inorganic nanoparticles as radiotherapy enhancers. Finally, we address the factors that influence the biodistribution of nanoparticles in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA, People's Liberation Army, General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dong-yan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang-long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA, People's Liberation Army, General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shi-ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA, People's Liberation Army, General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Rong-guang
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents