Molecular Mechanisms of Chemotherapy Resistance in Head and Neck Cancers

Yuzuka Kanno; Chang-Yu Chen; Hsin-Lun Lee; Jeng-Fong Chiou; Yin-Ju Chen

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.640392

Molecular Mechanisms of Chemotherapy Resistance in Head and Neck Cancers

Front Oncol. 2021 May 7:11:640392. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.640392. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Yuzuka Kanno^{1

2}, Chang-Yu Chen^{1

3}, Hsin-Lun Lee^{4

5

6}, Jeng-Fong Chiou^{4

5

6

7}, Yin-Ju Chen^{4

7

8

9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Molecular Regulation of Inflammatory and Immune Disease, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan.
² Department of Medicinal and Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Chiba, Japan.
³ Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Department of Radiation Oncology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁶ Taipei Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁷ TMU Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁸ Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁹ International PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
¹⁰ Translational Laboratory, Research Department, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Abstract

Chemotherapy resistance is a huge barrier for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients and therefore requires close attention to understand its underlay mechanisms for effective strategies. In this review, we first summarize the molecular mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance that occur during the treatment with cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and docetaxel/paclitaxel, including DNA/RNA damage repair, drug efflux, apoptosis inhibition, and epidermal growth factor receptor/focal adhesion kinase/nuclear factor-κB activation. Next, we describe the potential approaches to combining conventional therapies with previous cancer treatments such as immunotherapy, which may improve the treatment outcomes and prolong the survival of HNC patients. Overall, by parsing the reported molecular mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance within HNC patient's tumors, we can improve the prediction of chemotherapeutic responsiveness, and reveal new therapeutic targets for the future.

Keywords: chemotherapy; chemotherapy resistance; combination therapy; head and neck cancer; immunotherapy.

Publication types

Review