Profiling and Targeting Epigenetic Marks to Improve Diagnosis and Therapeutic Approaches in Head and Neck Cancer

Investigators have recently shown that epigenetic remodelling enzymes, such as HDAC inhibitors, are feasible drugs in HNC (8, 9). Preliminary data are indicating some deregulated epigenetics marks suggesting the corresponding histone modifiers as possible targets for the treatment of HNC, providing an attractive and feasible option to build upon. Our overarching hypothesis is that unique histone marks distinguish HPV+ and HPV- HNC and that specific histone modifiers are novel mediators of HNC tumorigenesis in an HPV specific manner