DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i02.054

Pages: 590-600

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one the most common malignancies in which significant advances in treatment modalities have yet to be translated into better clinical outcome except for cases associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. New treatment strategies and new targets for treatment need to be discovered and explored. An area of much current interest is the existence and consequences of cancer stem cells (CSCs). This subpopulation of cells has been phenotypically and biologically identified in many human cancers including HNSCC. Their intrinsic properties suggest that they are resistant to conventional cancer treatments and their survival may explain the frequent local recurrences experienced by many tumors despite aggressive therapy. Targeted elimination of this subpopulation represents a potential breakthrough as an adjunct to current therapies. This review briefly describes the structure of the oral mucosa, epidemiology, major risk factors, common symptoms, and current treatment options and associated challenges of human HNSCC. It emphasizes the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis and the importance of the cell surface antigen, CD44, as a biomarker of tumor aggressiveness in HNSCC. Finally, it discusses current treatment approaches and emerging nanoparticle-mediated therapeutic approaches to identify and eliminate this insidious cell population.