Summary of descriptive characteristics of included articles (n = 14).

The statin clinical application was classified as (1) potential effect in HNSCC treatment; (2) inconclusive, and (3) evidence not supportive as a drug to HNSCC treatment. Abbreviations: U87MG—Human primary glioblastoma cell line; Gy–Gray; ISR—Integrated stress response; HNSCC—Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas; CC—Cervical carcinoma; EGFR—Epidermal growth factor receptor; LKB1- The Liver Kinase B1; AMPK- AMP-Activated Protein Kinase; RhoC—a GTPase belonging to the Ras superfamily; SCC—Squamous cell carcinomas; EGF—Epidermal growth factor; ATF3- activation of transcription factor; mRNA- Messenger RNA; 5-FU 5-fluorouracil; NPC–Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; LMP1 –latent membrane protein 1; NPC.- Nasopharyngeal Cancer; GGPP- Geranyl pyrosphosphate; ERK- Extracellular-signal-regulated kinases; RT PCR- Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; UM- SCC-1—Squamous cell carcinoma cell lines derived from floor of the mouth; UM-SCC-47—Squamous cell carcinoma cell lines derived from tongue; DMSO—Dimethyl sulfoxide; SCC9 (Homo sapiens tongue squamous cell carcinoma); SCC25 (Homo sapiens tongue squamous cell carcinoma); HeLa (cervical carcinoma); A549 (lung carcinoma); MEFs/LKB1 -/- (Murine Embryonic Fibroblast); CCL-30 (Nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells); 293T (Human Embryonic Kidney); Tu167 (Squamous cell carcinoma cell lines derived from floor of the mouth); JMAR (Squamous cell carcinoma cell lines derived from floor of the mouth); CAL27 (Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma); SIHA (Cervical Carcinoma); Cos-7 (monkey Kidney Cell Line); SCC4 (Oral epithelial cell lines); SCC15 (Oral epithelial cell lines); C15 (Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells); C17 (Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells); A431 cell (epidermoid carcinoma); GM-38 (Diploid fibroblasts cell line).Summary of descriptive characteristics of included articles (n = 14).