New perspectives to respiratory tract cancers

Respiratory tract cancers (RTCs) which include the lung and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma are public health problem with incidence and mortality rates among the highest in the world. In order to reduce the health burden of RTCs, effective public health measures should be put in place. A strategy to achieve this goal could be explored using risk prediction modelling. DNA methylation and microRNAs have rapidly emerged as potential biomarkers for assessing the risk of early development and therapeutic stratification of various types of cancer. The integration of biomarkers in the development of risk prediction algorithm for estimating individual probability of developing RTCs may facilitate early detection and improve clinical management of this deadly malignancy. This review present the current literature on the identification of high risk individuals, risk prediction models, biomarkers (DNA methylation and microRNAs) and the integration of biomarkers in current and future clinical trials of RTCs.