Epigenetic modulation of the tumor microenvironment in head and neck cancer: Challenges and opportunities

Erison Santana Dos Santos; Vivian Petersen Wagner; Joab Cabral Ramos; Daniel W Lambert; Rogerio Moraes Castilho; Adriana Franco Paes Leme

doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103397

Epigenetic modulation of the tumor microenvironment in head and neck cancer: Challenges and opportunities

Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2021 Aug:164:103397. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103397. Epub 2021 Jun 17.

Authors

Erison Santana Dos Santos¹, Vivian Petersen Wagner², Joab Cabral Ramos³, Daniel W Lambert², Rogerio Moraes Castilho⁴, Adriana Franco Paes Leme⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil. Electronic address: e228180@dac.unicamp.br.
² The University of Sheffield Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health, 152607, Sheffield, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
³ Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.
⁴ Laboratory of Epithelial Biology, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Division of Oral Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Ann Arbor, 48109-1078, MI, USA; Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109, MI, USA.
⁵ The Brazilian Bioscience National Laboratory, Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, Brazil.

PMID: 34146679
DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103397

Abstract

Head and neck cancer is globally challenging due to the resistance to therapy and aggressive behavior leading to high rates of mortality. Recent findings show that the tumor microenvironment plays a role in the maintenance and progression of many solid tumors, including head and neck cancer. The mechanisms involved in the modulation and regulation of the tumor microenvironment remain poorly understood. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic events can modulate the crosstalk between neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells during tumor progression. In this review, we explore the current understanding of the involvement of epigenetic events in the modulation of the tumor microenvironment and its impact on head and neck cancer behavior. We also explore the latest therapeutic strategies that use epigenetic-modulating drugs to manage tumor growth and progression.

Keywords: HNSCC; Histones; Methylation; Tumor microenvironment; ncRNAs.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Epigenesis, Genetic
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Head and Neck Neoplasms* / genetics
Humans
Tumor Microenvironment* / genetics