Exosomes in head and neck cancer. Updating and revisiting

Abstract

Exosomes have gone from being considered simple containers of intracellular waste substances to be considered important carriers of cellular signals. Its broad capacity to promote tumour growth, both in situ and metastatic, has greatly intensified scientific research on them. In the same way and depending on its content, its tumour suppressive properties have opened a window of light and hope in the fight against cancer. In the present review we try to gather in a simple and understandable way the most relevant knowledge to date on the role of exosomes in oral squamous cell carcinoma, helping to understand their process of formation, release and activity on the tumour microenvironment.

Keywords

• exosomes
• extracellular vesicles
• oral squamous cell carcinoma
• tumour microenvironment
• head and neck cancer