BACKGROUND:

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is a common cause of cancer death. Despite decades of clinical studies exploring new treatments and considerable advance in multimodality treatment, satisfactory curative rates have not yet been reached. In the last few decades the emerging data from both tumor biology and clinical trials led to growing interest for research of predictive biomarkers. However, no molecular markers were discovered to improve clinical outcomes and to be used as new anticancer agents. Non coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are promising biomarkers. They are important regulators both in normal biological process and in proliferation, metastasis, chemo-radioresistance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We revised the literature on this topic to summarize current findings on ncRNAs.

RESULTS:

Several studies reported an altered regulation of ncRNAs and a specific cancer site signature has also been described among different primary head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Moreover, expression of ncRNAs correlates with poor prognosis and resistance to treatment.

CONCLUSION:

ncRNAs are emerging potential molecular markers and anticancer agents.