Potential biomarkers for radiosensitivity in head and neck cancers.
Radiotherapy is a mainstay of treatment for head and neck cancer. However, the morbidity of treatment remains a clinical challenge. Molecular profiling has provided further insight into tumor biology and tumor sensitivity to radiation, and this information could be used to personalize treatment. In this review, we discuss published signatures of radiosensitivity and discuss the pathways that may be important in dictating radiation sensitivity. Applications of these signatures could result in less morbidity if dose de-escalation efforts are successful.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Alabama, USA; ; Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Sherly
S
Pardo-Reoyo
Department of Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Alabama, USA.
J L
JL
Roig-Lopez
Department of Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Alabama, USA.
Eddy S
ES
Yang
Head and neck cancer; biomarkers; epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); microRNA; radiation sensitivity