Isfahan University of Medical SciencesDental Research Journal1735-33279320120821Emergence of cancer stem cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A therapeutic insight with literature review10781078ENPriyankaRastogiDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology, I.T.S. Center for Dental Studies and Research, Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. drpriyankagaurav@gmail.com20120821Accumulating evidence suggests that self-renewal and differentiation capabilities reside only ina subpopulation of tumor cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), whereas the remaining tumorcell population lacks the ability to initiate tumor development or support continued tumorgrowth. In head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), as with other malignancies, CSCshave 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 knowledgeof the role of CSCs in HNSCC and discusses the therapeutic implications and future directionsof this field.Key Words: CSC, field cancerization, HNSCC, metastasis, tumorigenesis