Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the major pathological type of head and neck cancer (HNC). The disease ranks sixth among the most common malignancies worldwide, with an increasing incidence rate yearly. Despite the development of therapy, the prognosis of HNSCC remains unsatisfactory, which may be attributed to the resistance to traditional radio-chemotherapy, relapse, and metastasis. To improve the diagnosis and treatment, the targeted therapy for HNSCC may be successful as that for some other tumors. Nanocarriers are the most effective system to deliver the anti-cancerous agent at the site of interest using passive or active targeting approaches. The system enhances the drug concentration in HCN target cells, increases retention, and reduces toxicity to normal cells. Among the different techniques in nanotechnology, quantum dots (QDs) possess multiple fluorescent colors emissions under single-source excitation and size-tunable light emission. Dendrimers are the most attractive nanocarriers, which possess the desired properties of drug retention, release, unaffecting by the immune system, blood circulation time enhancing, and cells or organs specific targeting properties. In this review, we have discussed the up-to-date knowledge of the Cancer Stem Cells of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Although a lot of data is available, still much more efforts remain to be made to improve the treatment of HNSCC.
Keywords: Cancer stem cells; head neck squamous cell carcinoma; nanotechnology; quantum dots; target therapy.
AJCR Copyright © 2023.