title: HPV and CSC in HNSCC cisplatin resistance.
abstract: Cisplatin (DNA intercalator), a standard chemotherapy drug often used to treat head and neck squamous cellular carcinoma (HNSCC) has very low response rates in recurrent disease of HNSCC, this is a major clinical problem today. However, a valuable window to look in to the underlying molecular aspects of a favorable and unfavorable cisplatin response is offered by a distinct disease entity in HNSCC - HPV+ OPSCC. It responds far more favorably to cisplatin than non-HPV driven HNSCC. Another intriguing aspect of head and neck cancer biology is the emergence of the CD44+ cancer stem cell - the tumor initiating population that in all likelihood is the root cause of therapeutic resistance. The critical question is, are there any differences between the CD44+ CSC population of an HPV+ OPSCC and a non-HPV HNSCC? In this regard, the inverse relation between EGFR levels and HPV status in OPSCC may be a common thread that connects the better response rates of HPV+ OPSCC with the contribution of CD44+ stem cells of HNSCC to chemoresistance.
authors.affiliation: SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL USA 62702.
authors.forename: Vishnu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Modur
authors.affiliation: SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL USA 62702.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thomas-Robbins
authors.affiliation: SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL USA 62702.
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D052685:Alphapapillomavirus / Q000502:physiology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D002945:Cisplatin; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C497483:CD44 protein, human; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D002945:Cisplatin