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. 2014 Sep;1(1):75-86.
doi: 10.1016/j.gendis.2014.07.002.

Unraveling the molecular genetics of head and neck cancer through genome-wide approaches

Nadeem Riaz  1 , Luc G Morris  2 , William Lee  1 , Timothy A Chan  3
Affiliations

Unraveling the molecular genetics of head and neck cancer through genome-wide approaches

Nadeem Riaz et al. Genes Dis. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

The past decade has seen an unprecedented increase in our understanding of the biology and etiology of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Genome-wide sequencing projects have identified a number of recurrently mutated genes, including unexpected alterations in the NOTCH pathway and chromatin related genes. Gene-expression profiling has identified 4 distinct genetic subtypes which show some parallels to lung squamous cell carcinoma biology. The identification of the human papilloma virus as one causative agent in a subset of oropharyngeal cancers and their association with a favorable prognosis has opened up avenues for new therapeutic strategies. The expanding knowledge of the underlying molecular abnormalities in this once very poorly understood cancer should allow for increasingly rational clinical trial design and improved patient outcomes.

Keywords: Copy number; Gene expression; Genomics; Head and neck cancer; Mutation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Alterations in selected pathways in head and neck squamous cell cancers. Green: Frequency of mutations. Red: frequency of amplification. Blue: Frequency of deletion. (A) Mitogenic Pathway Alterations. (B) Cell Cycle Alterations. (C) NOTCH Signaling. (D) Oxidative Stress Response. See text for more details of alterations in each pathway (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.).
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