Bcl-2 Targeted-Therapy for the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Lucas      V. dos Santos; Andre      L. Carvalho

Abstract

Despite recent advances in treatment of head and neck cancer, survival has not improved as expected. Bcl-2 family proteins play important role in regulating apoptosis. Recently, newer molecules have been developed for inhibition of Bcl-2 related proteins. We, herein aim to discuss the importance of Bcl-2 family proteins to the development of head and neck cancer and how the targeted-therapy for inhibition of Bcl-2 and related proteins, based on new drugs and recent patents, could improve the efficacy of the systemic therapy.

Keywords: Anticancer drugs, apoptosis, Bcl-2 family proteins, head and neck cancer, patents, targeted-therapy, squamous cell carcinoma, HNSCC, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, radiochemotherapy, EGFR, FADD, tumorigenesis, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, BH3-only, Bim, Puma, STAT3, fluoropyrimidines, VEGF, angiogenesis, TERT, Bortezomib, Human papillo-mavirus proteins, Azadirachta indica, gefitinib, Epigallocatechin-3 gallate, EGCG, Apogossypolone, Streptomyces, Chelidonium majus, obatoclax, BIE, BBF