Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado.
Mol Carcinog. 2020 Jul;59(7):766-774. doi: 10.1002/mc.23162. Epub 2020 Feb 3.
Head and neck cancers are a heterogeneous group of tumors that are highly aggressive and collectively represent the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Ninety percent of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). The tumor microenvironment (TME) of HNSCCs consists of many different subsets of cells that infiltrate the tumors and interact with the tumor cells or with each other through various networks. Both innate and adaptive immune cells play a crucial role in mediating immune surveillance and controlling tumor growth. Here, we discuss the different subsets of immune cells and how they contribute to an immunosuppressive TME of HNSCCs. We also briefly summarize recent advances in immunotherapeutic approaches for HNSCC treatment. A better understanding of the multiple factors that play pivotal roles in HNSCC tumorigenesis and tumor progression may help define novel targets to develop more effective immunotherapies for patients with HNSCC.
头颈部癌症是一组高度侵袭性的异质性肿瘤，是全球第六大常见癌症。90%的头颈部癌症为鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）。HNSCC 的肿瘤微环境（TME）由浸润肿瘤并通过各种网络与肿瘤细胞相互作用或相互作用的许多不同细胞亚群组成。先天和适应性免疫细胞在介导免疫监视和控制肿瘤生长方面发挥着至关重要的作用。在这里，我们讨论了不同的免疫细胞亚群以及它们如何促成 HNSCC 的免疫抑制性 TME。我们还简要总结了 HNSCC 治疗的免疫治疗方法的最新进展。对头颈部癌症发生和肿瘤进展中起关键作用的多种因素的更好理解，可能有助于确定新的靶点，为 HNSCC 患者开发更有效的免疫疗法。
