Galectins and Carcinogenesis: Their Role in Head and Neck Carcinomas and Thyroid Carcinomas.

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.

• Authors: Nadège Kindt, Fabrice Journe, Ghanem E Ghanem, Sven Saussez
• Journal: International journal of molecular sciences (Int J Mol Sci) Vol. 18 Issue 12 (Dec 18 2017) ISSN: 1422-0067 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 29258258 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Galectins

Topics

• Animals
• Galectins (metabolism)
• Head and Neck Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)
• Humans
• Neovascularization, Pathologic (metabolism, physiopathology)
• Thyroid Neoplasms (metabolism, pathology)