Objectives: This review examines the role of oxidative stress in the survival, apoptosis, and therapy resistance of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells, with a focus on how redox imbalance influences tumour progression and treatment outcomes.Methods: A literature search was conducted in Scopus using the keywords head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and antioxidant systems. Articles published in English were included, without restrictions on publication year. Reviews, clinical studies, and experimental research addressing oxidative stress mechanisms in HNSCC were considered, while non-English papers and studies unrelated to HNSCC were excluded.Key Findings: ROS exhibit dual effects in HNSCC, promoting tumour growth and DNA damage while also inducing apoptosis through molecular interactions. Elevated ROS contribute to drug resistance by inhibiting apoptosis, altering autophagy, and enhancing proliferation. Cancer cells counteract this via adaptive antioxidant responses involving transcriptional regulation and upregulation of enzymatic defences. Major risk factors for HNSCC—alcohol, tobacco, and high-risk HPV infection—disrupt redox homeostasis, underscoring the central role of oxidative stress in both carcinogenesis and therapy response.Conclusions: Oxidative stress plays a context-dependent role in HNSCC progression and treatment resistance. Targeting redox-regulatory pathways may provide therapeutic benefit. This review synthesizes recent insights on ROS-mediated mechanisms, highlighting potential strategies for improving HNSCC management beyond existing literature.
目的：本综述探讨氧化应激在头颈部鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）细胞存活、凋亡及治疗抵抗中的作用，重点关注氧化还原失衡如何影响肿瘤进展与治疗结局。 方法：在Scopus数据库中以“头颈部鳞状细胞癌”“氧化应激”“活性氧（ROS）”及“抗氧化系统”为关键词进行文献检索。纳入英文发表文献，不限制发表年份。涵盖涉及HNSCC氧化应激机制的综述、临床研究及实验研究，排除非英文文献及与HNSCC无关的研究。 主要发现：ROS在HNSCC中呈现双重作用，既通过分子相互作用促进肿瘤生长与DNA损伤，亦可诱导细胞凋亡。ROS水平升高通过抑制凋亡、改变自噬及增强增殖等方式导致耐药性。癌细胞通过涉及转录调控与酶防御系统上调的适应性抗氧化反应应对氧化应激。HNSCC主要风险因素（酒精、烟草及高危HPV感染）均会破坏氧化还原稳态，凸显氧化应激在致癌过程与治疗反应中的核心作用。 结论：氧化应激在HNSCC进展与治疗抵抗中发挥情境依赖性作用。靶向氧化还原调控通路可能具有治疗价值。本综述整合了近期关于ROS介导机制的研究进展，提出了超越现有文献的HNSCC治疗潜在策略。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家