The majority of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas deriving from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity, the pharynx, and hypopharynx. Their treatment is particularly complicated by their body location and the complex anatomy of this region. In fact, surgery may the induction of scars, impairment in the patients' ability to eat, speak, and breathe. Chemotherapy plus radiation is the current gold standard for the treatment of tumors in advanced stages. Only recently, immunologic approaches to treat these dismal tumors were launched with promising results. Distinct histopathological and molecular tumor subtypes with different causes (e.g. smoking and HPV infection) are detected in this region, with different prognosis and therapeutic approaches.
However, the development of novel treatment regimens for head and neck carcinoma remains a challenge due to inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity.
The majority of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas deriving from the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity, the pharynx, and hypopharynx. Their treatment is particularly complicated by their body location and the complex anatomy of this region. In fact, surgery may the induction of scars, impairment in the patients' ability to eat, speak, and breathe. Chemotherapy plus radiation is the current gold standard for the treatment of tumors in advanced stages. Only recently, immunologic approaches to treat these dismal tumors were launched with promising results. Distinct histopathological and molecular tumor subtypes with different causes (e.g. smoking and HPV infection) are detected in this region, with different prognosis and therapeutic approaches.
However, the development of novel treatment regimens for head and neck carcinoma remains a challenge due to inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity.
