The tumor ecosystem in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and advances in ecotherapy
Yingying Gong, Lisha Bao, Tong Xu, Xiaofen Yi, Jinming Chen, Shanshan Wang, Zongfu Pan, Ping Huang, Minghua Ge
Abstract
The development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a multi-step process, and its survival depends on a complex tumor ecosystem, which not only promotes tumor growth but also helps to protect tumor cells from immune surveillance. With the advances of existing technologies and emerging models for ecosystem research, the evidence for cell-cell interplay is increasing. Herein, we discuss the recent advances in understanding the interaction between tumor cells, the major components of the HNSCC tumor ecosystem, and summarize the mechanisms of how biological and abiotic factors affect the tumor ecosystem. In addition, we review the emerging ecological treatment strategy for HNSCC based on existing studies.