Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-activated Cxcr2 signaling in myeloid cells promotes TGFβ-dependent squamous cell carcinoma lung metastasis.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) activity is linked to metastasis in many cancer types, but whether TGFβ activity is necessary for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lung metastasis has not been studied. Here we used a lung metastatic SCC model derived from keratin 15 (K15). Kras.

PARP Inhibition Enhances Radiotherapy of SMAD4-Deficient Human Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas in Experimental Models.

Purpose: loss causes genomic instability and the initiation/progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, we study whether loss sensitizes HNSCCs to olaparib (PARP inhibitor) in combination with radiotherapy (RT).

Experimental Design: We analyzed HNSCC The Cancer Genome Atlas data for expression in association with family gene expression.

Lessons learned from SMAD4 loss in squamous cell carcinomas.

SMAD4 is a potent tumor suppressor and a central mediator of the TGFß signaling pathway. SMAD4 genetic loss is frequent in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Reports of SMAD4 expression in SCCs vary significantly possibly due to inter-tumor heterogeneity or technical reasons.

Inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity of SMAD4 loss in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Reports regarding the frequency of SMAD4 loss in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) vary significantly. We have shown that SMAD4 deletion contributes to HNSCC initiation and progression. Therefore, accurately detecting genetic SMAD4 loss is critical to determine prognosis and therapeutic interventions in personalized medicine.