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Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Establishment and Characterization of Patient-Derived Xenograft Models of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: June 2, 2023
Galectins and Carcinogenesis: Their Role in Head and Neck Carcinomas and Thyroid Carcinomas
Nadège Kindt1, Fabrice Journe2,3, Ghanem E Ghanem4
1Laboratory of Anatomy, Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Mons (UMons), Pentagone 2A, 6 Ave du Champ de Mars, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. nadege.kindt@umons.ac.be.
Abstract:
Head and neck cancers are among the most frequently occurring cancers worldwide. Of the molecular drivers described for these tumors, galectins play an important role via their interaction with several intracellular pathways. In this review, we will detail and discuss this role with specific reference to galectins-1, -3, and -7 in angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and invasion as well as in cell transformation and cancer progression. Furthermore, we will evaluate the prognostic value of galectin expression in head and neck cancers including those with oral cavity, salivary gland, and nasopharyngeal pathologies. In addition, we will discuss the involvement of these galectins in thyroid cancers where their altered expression is proposed as a new diagnostic biomarker.
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