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Current Oncology Reports
Published in: Current Oncology Reports 2/2012

01-04-2012 | Head and Neck Cancers (EY Hanna, Section Editor)

Salivary Gland Cancers: Biology and Molecular Targets for Therapy

Authors: Diana Bell, Ehab Y. Hanna

Published in: Current Oncology Reports | Issue 2/2012

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Abstract

Salivary gland carcinomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors with different biologic behavior. Given the lack of large randomized studies, there is no standard treatment for advanced and/or metastatic salivary gland tumors, and systemic therapy is empirically based. Tumor-specific recurrent chromosomal translocations and fusion oncogenes in aggressive head and neck malignancies have diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic implications. Pathognomonic fusion transcripts have been identified in subsets of mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma. These translocations target 1) transcription factors involved in growth factor signaling and cell cycle regulation, 2) transcriptional co-activators, and 3) tyrosine kinase receptors. Prioritizing studies with a translational component to advance the molecular understanding of these cancers and molecular-targeted therapy clinical trials is critical.
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Metadata
Title
Salivary Gland Cancers: Biology and Molecular Targets for Therapy
Authors
Diana Bell
Ehab Y. Hanna
Publication date
01-04-2012
Publisher
Current Science Inc.
Published in
Current Oncology Reports / Issue 2/2012
Print ISSN: 1523-3790
Electronic ISSN: 1534-6269
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-012-0220-5

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