title: The evolving concepts of cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that the growth and spread of cancers is driven by a small subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs)--the only cells that are capable of long-term self-renewal and generation of the phenotypically diverse tumor cell population. CSCs have been identified and isolated in a variety of human cancers including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The concept of cancer stem cells may have profound implications for our understanding of tumor biology and for the design of novel treatments targeted toward these cells. The present review is an attempt to conceptualize the role of CSCs in HNSCC--its implication in tumorigenesis and the possible additional approach in current treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, M.G.M. Dental College & Hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai 410209, India.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5801-9965
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, M.G.M. Dental College & Hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai 410209, India.
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, M.G.M. Dental College & Hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai 410209, India.
authors.forename: Jigna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, M.G.M. Dental College & Hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai 410209, India.
authors.forename: Niharika
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Swain
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, M.G.M. Dental College & Hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai 410209, India.
authors.forename: Shwetha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology