Tumor-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a significant component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) may stimulate their progression, although exact mechanisms not well understood. This work aimed to establish biologically relevant HNSCC model as basis for further investigations.

PURPOSE Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas have been reported to overexpress hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha, a transcription factor that promotes expression of angiogenesis factors and resistance to programmed and therapy-induced cell death. 2-Methoxyestradiol (2ME2) is a natural compound with HIF-1alpha inhibitory activity that is currently being evaluated in phase 1 and 2 clinical ...

OBJECTIVE To report the complication rate from planned, posttreatment neck dissections in patients who show control of primary squamous cell carcinoma by chemotherapy and radiotherapy or radiotherapy alone. DESIGN Retrospective review of case series. SETTING Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC. PATIENTS Thirty-four patients with clinically positive neck disease treated wi...

Unchecked cell growth is a hallmark of cancer. During oncogenesis, cancerous cells become resistant to the TGF-beta signaling pathway that usually keeps cell growth in check. The role of a critical mediator of this pathway, Smad4, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. In this issue of the JCI, Bornstein and colleagues report that Smad4 expression is decreased in mali...

BACKGROUND The applicability of the melanoma antigen gene (MAGE) to the molecular diagnosis of cancer, by detecting MAGE mRNA in the sputa of head and neck cancer patients, was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the MAGE common primers designed to detect MAGE A1-6 genes was conducted with sputa of 17 head and neck squamous ...

BACKGROUND Our primary objective was to determine the role of neck dissection following concomitant chemoradiation (CRT) for advanced stage III-IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS One hundred eighty-four patients with HNSCC treated with CRT were included. One hundred twenty-three patients reached a regional complete response (CR) after CRT and no neck dissection was perf...

Background: Non-coding microRNAs (miR) regulate gene expression on post transcriptional level and open new perspectives of prognostic stratification as potential biomarkers head neck cancer. The aim was to investigate diagnostic implications miR-182-5p miR-205-5p in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs).

September 01, 2008 About 500,000 head and neck carcinomas are diagnosed worldwide annually. This accounts for approximately 8% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer, ranking head and neck carcinoma the sixth most common.[1] In the United States, 47,560 new head and neck carcinomas are expected to be diagnosed in 2008,[2] and this disease accounts for 5% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer. ...

September 01, 2008 About 500,000 head and neck carcinomas are diagnosed worldwide annually. This accounts for approximately 8% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer, ranking head and neck carcinoma the sixth most common.[1] In the United States, 47,560 new head and neck carcinomas are expected to be diagnosed in 2008,[2] and this disease accounts for 5% of all newly diagnosed cases of cancer. ...

Despite substantial improvements in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treatment, the major obstacle to long-term survival remains disease recurrence. Salvage options are often limited due to prior therapy and the escalated morbidity of retreatment. The costs of treatment must be measured against the anticipated quality and quantity of life recovered, even with resectable disease. Th...