Drug-tolerant persister cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

Summary: Head and neck cancer is hard to cure because it often comes back after treatment. Why does this happen? A sneaky group of cancer cells, known as "persister cells," hide by going to sleep. When they are in this dormant state, standard treatments like chemotherapy and immune drugs cannot find or kill them. Instead of dying, these cells change how they use energy, fix their own damaged DNA, and hide from the body's immune system. Scientists are now studying new ways to target these hiding cells. By blocking their energy supply or stopping them from fixing their DNA, doctors hope to destroy them for good. If we can eliminate these sneaky cells with new combination treatments, we can stop the cancer from returning and help patients live much longer.