AUTHOR=Guo Zhaomeng , Li Kang , Liu Peng , Zhang Xiangmin , Lv Jie , Zeng Xianhai , Zhang Peng 

TITLE=Targeted therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma microenvironment

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1257898

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2023.1257898

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p>Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) originates from the squamous epithelium of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. HNSCC in the oral cavity and larynx is strongly associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, while oropharyngeal cancer is increasingly attributed to infection by human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly HPV-16. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex network of cancer cells, immune cells, stromal cells, surrounding blood vessels, and signaling molecules, and plays a critical role in tumor cell survival, invasion, and recurrence. Therefore, it is critical to elucidate the molecular basis of the interaction between tumor cells and the TME in order to develop innovative anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.</p>