A search of the literature, as well as clinical trials that are currently underway in HNSCC, revealed a variety of agents being investigated that target various cellular molecules (e.g. epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR], members of the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase [PI3K] pathway, mammalian target of rapamycin [mTOR], cyclin-dependent kinases, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor [VEGFR], retinoblastoma protein [pRB], toll-like receptors and Aurora kinases) (clinicaltrials.gov). The gene discussed is KDR; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.