Reactive oxygen species in cancer stem cells of head and neck squamous cancer

Publication date: Available online 20 June 2018Source: Seminars in Cancer BiologyAuthor(s): Xu Qian, Xiaobo Nie, Wenhao Yao, Konrad Klinghammer, Holger Sudhoff, Andreas M. Kaufmann, Andreas E. AlbersAbstractOne of the greatest challenges in systemic treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a small tumor cell population, namely, cancer stem-like cells (CSC). CSC can regenerate and maintain a heterogenic tumor by their self-renewal capacity. Their potential ability to be more resistant to and survival after chemo- and radiation therapy was also identified. Further studies have shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to this CSC-associated resistance. In this review, we focus on the current knowledge of HNSCC-CSC, with regard to ROS as a possible and novel therapeutic approach in targeting CSC.
Source: Seminars in Cancer Biology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research