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Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Preparing a 68Ga-labeled Arginine Glycine Aspartate RGD-peptide for Angiogenesis
Published on: January 7, 2019
RGD-Binding Integrins in Head and Neck Cancers
Hanadi Talal Ahmedah1, Laurence H Patterson2, Steven D Shnyder3
1Radiological Sciences Department, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia. HTAhmedah@pnu.edu.sa.
Abstract:
Alterations in integrin expression and function promote tumour growth, invasion, metastasis and neoangiogenesis. Head and neck cancers are highly vascular tumours with a tendency to metastasise. They express a wide range of integrin receptors. Expression of the αv and β1 subunits has been explored relatively extensively and linked to tumour progression and metastasis. Individual receptors αvβ3 and αvβ5 have proved popular targets for diagnostic and therapeutic agents but lesser studied receptors, such as αvβ6, αvβ8, and β1 subfamily members, also show promise. This review presents the current knowledge of integrin expression and function in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), with a particular focus on the arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD)-binding integrins, in order to highlight the potential of integrins as targets for personalised tumour-specific identification and therapy.
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