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Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains one of the most aggressive malignancies, characterized by limited therapeutic success and poor outcome. Despite continuous development of novel therapeutic strategies, disease-free survival in patients with advanced HNSCC has not been improved during the last 30 years. Evidently, a deeper understanding is needed of the molecular mechanisms underlying both intrinsic and acquired HNSCC cell resistance to currently existing therapeutic approaches. Proteome analysis is a powerful method which can provide deep insight into the molecular basis underlying HNSCC cell survival despite cytotoxic anti-tumor treatment (chemo-, radiotherapy). Evaluation of the protein profiles of cells obtained from locally recurrent or metastatic tumors can allow researchers to identify key protein players which regulate the HNSCC response to therapy. Additionally, subcellular fractionation and isolation of various cell organelles followed by proteomic analysis can provide data about intracellular protein localization, translocation and function following anti-cancer therapy. This review article discusses the protein patterns in HNSCC cells responsible for the radio- and chemo-resistance of these tumors and which result in the carcinoma cell survival and HNSCC recurrence.