Invasion-Related Factors as Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma-A Review

Int J Mol Sci. 2018 May 14;19(5):1462. doi: 10.3390/ijms19051462.

Abstract

It is well recognized that the presence of cervical lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In solid epithelial cancer, the first step during the process of metastasis is the invasion of cancer cells into the underlying stroma, breaching the basement membrane (BM)-the natural barrier between epithelium and the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM). The ability to invade and metastasize is a key hallmark of cancer progression, and the most complicated and least understood. These topics continue to be very active fields of cancer research. A number of processes, factors, and signaling pathways are involved in regulating invasion and metastasis. However, appropriate clinical trials for anti-cancer drugs targeting the invasion of OSCC are incomplete. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on invasion-related factors and emerging molecular determinants which can be used as potential for diagnostic and therapeutic targets in OSCC.

Keywords: cell adhesion; cell signaling; epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT); invasion; metastasis; microRNA; oral squamous cell carcinoma; tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnosis*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / etiology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / therapy*
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • Mouth Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / etiology
  • Mouth Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Mouth Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • MicroRNAs