Emergence of cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A therapeutic insight with literature review

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that self-renewal and differentiation capabilities reside only in
a subpopulation of tumor cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), whereas the remaining tumor
cell population lacks the ability to initiate tumor development or support continued tumor
growth. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), as with other malignancies, CSCs
have been increasingly shown to have an integral role in tumor initiation, disease progression,
metastasis, and treatment resistance. In this article, the author summarizes the current knowledge
of the role of CSCs in HNSCC and discusses the therapeutic implications and future directions
of this field.
Key Words: CSC, field cancerization, HNSCC, metastasis, tumorigenesis