Molecular and cellular dynamics of squamous cell carcinomas across tissues Review
| Authors: | Kudelka, M. R.; Lavin, Y.; Sun, S.; Fuchs, E. |
| Review Title: | Molecular and cellular dynamics of squamous cell carcinomas across tissues |
| Abstract: | Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), arising from the skin, head and neck, lungs, esophagus, and cervix, are collectively among the most common cancers and a frequent cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. Despite distinct stratified epithelial tissues of origin, converging evidence points toward shared biologic pathways across SCCs. With recent breakthroughs in molecular technologies have come novel SCC treatment paradigms, including immunotherapies and targeted therapy. This review compares commonalities and differences across SCCs from different anatomical sites, including risk factors and genetics, as well as cellular and molecular programs driving tumorigenesis. We review landmark discoveries of the “cancer stem cells” (CSCs) that initiate and propagate SCCs and their gene and translational regulation programs. This has led to an appreciation that interactions between CSCs and the immune system play key roles in invasion and therapeutic resistance. Here, we review the unifying principles of SCCs that have emerged from these exciting advances in our understanding of these epithelial cancers. © 2025 Kudelka et al. |
| Keywords: | unclassified drug; gene mutation; genetics; clinical feature; review; squamous cell carcinoma; carcinoma, squamous cell; nonhuman; comparative study; genetic analysis; animal; animals; cell compartmentalization; gene amplification; molecular dynamics; notch receptor; transcription factor; phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase; protein p53; risk factor; carcinogenesis; stem cell; gene expression regulation; cancer genetics; gene expression regulation, neoplastic; immune response; clonal variation; messenger rna; neoplastic stem cells; epigenetics; cancer stem cell; matrix metalloproteinase; telomerase reverse transcriptase; gene control; ras protein; bone marrow cell; cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2a; epithelium; molecular biology; carcinogen; tissue specificity; tumor microenvironment; medical history; cancer stem cells; translation regulation; epithelial cancers; translational regulation; cancer epigenetics; humans; human; stereotypy; pik3ca protein; squamous cell skin carcinoma; kmt2d protein; anatomical location; cancer signaling; cellular dynamics |
| Journal Title: | Genes and Development |
| Volume: | 39 |
| Issue: | 1-2 |
| ISSN: | 0890-9369 |
| Publisher: | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press |
| Date Published: | 2025-01-01 |
| Start Page: | 18 |
| End Page: | 35 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1101/gad.351990.124 |
| PUBMED: | 39455281 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC11789493 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Review -- Source: Scopus |
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