# Onco-Ontogeny of Squamous Cell Cancer of the First Pharyngeal Arch Derivatives

## TL;DR

This paper explores how genes involved in early embryo development contribute to the formation and spread of head and neck squamous cell cancer.

## Contribution

The paper introduces the term 'embryo-oncogenesis' to describe how developmental genes are reactivated during cancer progression.

## Key findings

- Genes from the first pharyngeal arch are involved in H&NSCC oncogenesis.
- Transcription factors and signaling molecules play roles in tumor growth and metastasis.
- The concept of onco-ontogenic inverse process is proposed to explain cancer development.

## Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (H&NSCC) is an anatomic, biological, and genetic complex disease. It involves more than 1000 genes implied in its oncogenesis; for this review, we limit our search and description to the genes implied in the onco-ontogeny of the derivates from the first pharyngeal arch during embryo development. They can be grouped as transcription factors and signaling molecules (that act as growth factors that bind to receptors). Finally, we propose the term embryo-oncogenesis to refer to the activation, reactivation, and use of the genes involved in the embryo’s development during the oncogenesis or malignant tumor invasion and metastasis events as part of an onco-ontogenic inverse process.