Heat Shock Proteins in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are produced in response to stressful conditions, such as temperature, inflammation, infection, or exposure to environmental factors. HSPs are overexpressed in some malignancies, where they modulate the tumor microenvironment and influence cancer cell behavior and survival. Clinical trials for breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancers exist, but not for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Nonetheless, clinical studies on HSPs in HNSCC are still lacking. We review the role of HSPs with regard to physiology and as potential targets for molecular therapy in HNSCC.