Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth leading malignancy worldwide, with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Molecularly targeted therapies for HNSCC are still lacking. However, recent reports provide novel insights about many molecular alterations in HNSCC that may be useful in future therapies. Therefore, it is necessary to identify new biomarkers that may provide a better prediction of the disease and promising targets for personalized therapy. The poor response of HNSCC to therapy is attributed to a small population of tumor cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs). Growing evidence indicates that the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of head and neck tissues. The HH pathway is normally involved in embryogenesis, stem cell renewal, and tissue regeneration. However, abnormal activation of the HH pathway is also associated with carcinogenesis and CSC regulation. Overactivation of the HH pathway was observed in several tumors, including basal cell carcinoma, that are successfully treated with HH inhibitors. However, clinical studies about HH pathways in HNSCC are still rare. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and recent advances regarding the HH pathway in HNSCC and discuss its possible implications for prognosis and future therapy.

Background: Insufficient or excessive growth of the craniofacial bone leads to skeletal and dental defects, which in turn result in the presence of malocclusions. To date, all causes of malocclusion have not been fully explained. In the development of skeletal abnormalities, attention is often paid to general deficiencies - including vitamin D3 deficiency, which causes rickets in growing people. It is suspected that its chronic deficiency may also affect the development of skeletal malocclusion. The aim of the study was to prospectively assess the impact of vitamin D deficiency on the development of malocclusions.Methods: The examination consisted of three parts - (1) medical interview, (2) orthodontic examination along with an alginate impression and radiological imaging, (3) taking a venous blood sample for vitamin D3 level testing.Results: In about 42,1% patients the presence of a skeletal defect was found. In 46,5% of patients presence of dentoalveolar malocclusion occurred. The most common skeletal defect was jaw narrowing in turn, among malocclusions most often retrogenia was diagnosed.Conclusions: A relatively small number of patients in the study group was diagnosed with skeletal malocclusion. Due to effects of vitamin D on the development and metabolism of bones, including jawbones, and the relationship with, for example, rickets, we believe that it would be worthwhile to conduct a study fully focused on the group of patients with skeletal defects.

Purpose of Review Oral cavity cancer (OCC) is a significant clinical challenge within head and neck oncology. It is characterized by significant morbidity, high recurrence rates, and only modest improvements in long-term survival over recent decades. Recent advances in metagenomics and high-throughput sequencing have revealed that oral microbial dysbiosis contributes to tumorigenesis, highlighting the potential of microbiome-derived biomarkers for early detection and prognosis of OCC. The purpose of the work is to discuss oral microbiome alterations in OCC. Recent Findings The microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating the host's physiological, immunological, and metabolic functions. Changes in the composition of the microbiome can influence our health status of local diseases of the oral cavity and oropharynx, as well as systemic diseases. In recent years, the role of the oral microbiome in oral potentially malignant disorders progression and OCC development has been emphasized. Changes in the oral and gut microbiome can lead to the induction of chronic inflammation, modulation of the immune system, and the production of carcinogenic metabolites. Dysbiosis can lead to critical inflammatory responses and consequently contribute to neoplastic events. Microbiome-modulating therapies tailored to the patient's individual profile and aimed at improving cancer treatment outcomes are being introduced, including the introduction of antibiotics to reduce harmful bacteria. Summary Identification of new biomarkers in oral microbiota communities and development of therapeutic strategies in relation with oral microbiota in the future may be one of the pillars of the oral cancer diagnosis and treatment strategy. Oral cancer prevention protocols should include the improvement of oral hygiene as an element of the prevention and treatment of periodontitis. An introduction of microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary strategies, may reduce the toxicity of radiotherapy, leading to improved patient outcomes.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has traditionally been viewed as a chronic inflammatory disease in which microbial factors are implicated. However, increasing evidence suggests that CRS may be better understood as a disruption of sinonasal microbial homeostasis rather than as a chronic infection caused by a single pathogen. This review summarizes current knowledge on healthy sinonasal microbiome composition and function as well as microbial alterations in CRS. Particular attention is given to dysbiosis involving potentially pathogenic microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as biofilm formation and its interactions with the epithelial barrier and host immune response. We also discuss host-related, therapeutic, hormonal, and environmental factors that may contribute to microbial imbalance. Current evidence does not clearly establish whether dysbiosis is a cause or consequence of chronic inflammation. Based on the evidence synthesized here, we propose that CRS may be understood as a dynamic, bidirectional interaction between microbial imbalance and chronic inflammation, whereby microbial alterations may contribute to epithelial and immune dysregulation, while changes in the host environment influence the sinonasal ecosystem. By integrating these microbiological and host-related perspectives, this review provides a boarder framework for understanding CRS pathophysiology and guiding future research into individual patterns of sinonasal microbial homeostasis.