Role of Biomarkers in Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background:Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common malignancy in head &neck region.Most of the patients with locally advanced disease cure with combined treatment. But thesetherapies are indiscriminately aggressive and cause side effects such as severe short-termtoxicity and long term functional impairment. Possible use of markers which can predict drugresponse of the patient with head and neck SCC (HNSCC), can provide better out comes andavoid of unnecessary treatment.Materials and Methods:The papers about the role of biomarkers in treatment & prognosis in HNSCC between 1994-2012 years have been reviewed.Result:In different studies EGFR, EGFRVIII, EGFR kinase, β-Tubulin isotypes, PRM1, HPV,KRAS,ERCC1 and serum profiling in HNSCC have been evaluated. ERCC1 expression maypredict resistance to treatment with platinum agents. The survey of this marker is a usefulmanner in selection of optimal chemotherapy. Infection with HPV is associated with lessaggressive disease and better prognosis in locally advanced HNSCC. In this case treatmentcan be radiation or chemoradiation alone. Therefore patients benefit from less intensive lesstoxic therapy.Conclusion:Molecular markers may potentially be useful as prognostic or predictive factors in thetreatment of HNSCC, particularly ERCC1 & HPV .In despite, there are other potentialmarkers are relevant in some type of cancers such as K-RAS, may not necessarily apply toHNSCC.