Cancer stem cells hypothesis and stem cells in head and neck cancers

SummaryThere is increasing evidence that the growth and spread of cancer is driven by a small subpopulation of cancer cells, defined as cancer stem cells (CSCs). Recent data indicate that the initiation, growth, recurrence and metastasis of cancers are related to the behavior of a small population of malignant cells with properties of stem cells, and information about them are potentially helpful in identifying the target for the tumor’s therapeutic elimination. The presence of subpopulation cells with phenotypic and behavioral characteristics corresponding to both normal epithelial stem cells and to cells capable of initiating tumors has been also reported in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs).