title: Circulating and disseminated tumour cells in head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multimodal treatment options in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have allowed for greater control of locoregional disease, but this has not translated into a significant overall survival advantage for patients. This is partially because these treatment modalities have no influence over the rate of development of distant metastases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article summarises the current methods of detecting circulating and disseminated tumour cells. It also discusses how these cells can offer prognostic value in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and considers questions posed by the identification of these cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search of relevant journal articles was performed using ScienceDirect and PubMed databases, and a general article search was conducted using the online search engine Google.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence presented in this article indicates that circulating tumour cells and disseminated tumour cells may be clinically useful as prognostic markers or in the assessment of response to treatment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine,Institute of Translational Medicine,University of Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Derbyshire
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine,Institute of Translational Medicine,University of Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kinshuck
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery,Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Attlmayr
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine,Institute of Translational Medicine,University of Liverpool,UK.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Circulating; Neoplastic Cells; Survival