Radiotherapy is a crucial treatment modality for head and neck cancers, encompassing a range of malignancies in the upper aerodigestive tract. Advanced approaches, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and particle therapy, with the emergence of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) techniques, offer enhanced precision and improved outcomes. Encouragingly, combining radiotherapy with chemotherapy has shown promising results in locally advanced cases. However, the proximity of tumors to critical structures remains challenging to manage acute and late toxicities, which demands innovative strategies to reduce radiation-related side effects. Addressing long-term toxicities is an essential research focus, with efforts toward adaptive radiotherapy, radioprotective agents, and other novel treatment techniques. These endeavors aim to mitigate radiation-induced fibrosis, dysphagia, dysphonia, and secondary malignancies, thereby enhancing patients' quality of life. Moreover, advances in multimodal imaging techniques, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and onboard volumetric image systems, have facilitated treatment planning, target delineation, and response assessment during and after radiotherapy. Thus, radiotherapy continues to be an integral component in head and neck cancer treatment, and ongoing research efforts are directed toward overcoming challenges related to precision, toxicities, and long-term outcomes.
This Research Topic aims to provide an update on current radiotherapy treatment options for head and neck cancers, discuss the rationale behind those strategies, evaluate their benefits and limitations, and discuss the technical challenges associated with these strategies. We welcome original research, cutting-edge reviews, and clinical, pathological, and translational studies related but not limited to the following:
1) Treatment optimization and personalization: exploring new approaches for individualizing and optimizing head and neck radiotherapy treatments.
2) Radiobiology of head and neck tumors: unraveling the complexities of radiobiological characteristics in head and neck tumors.
3) Quality assurance and safety in head and neck radiotherapy: current challenges and solutions in ensuring treatment planning, delivery, and verification accuracy.
4) Survivorship and quality of life in head and neck cancer patients: addressing long-term challenges in functional outcomes, psychosocial well-being, and overall quality of life.
5) Future directions in head and neck radiotherapy: exploring emerging technologies and therapeutic approaches, including but not limited to combined immunotherapy, flash radiotherapy, spatially fractionated radiotherapy (sfrt), etc.
6) Toxicity management in head and neck radiotherapy: from acute effects to long-term morbidity, strategies for managing treatment-related toxicities
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of the scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Radiotherapy is a crucial treatment modality for head and neck cancers, encompassing a range of malignancies in the upper aerodigestive tract. Advanced approaches, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and particle therapy, with the emergence of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) techniques, offer enhanced precision and improved outcomes. Encouragingly, combining radiotherapy with chemotherapy has shown promising results in locally advanced cases. However, the proximity of tumors to critical structures remains challenging to manage acute and late toxicities, which demands innovative strategies to reduce radiation-related side effects. Addressing long-term toxicities is an essential research focus, with efforts toward adaptive radiotherapy, radioprotective agents, and other novel treatment techniques. These endeavors aim to mitigate radiation-induced fibrosis, dysphagia, dysphonia, and secondary malignancies, thereby enhancing patients' quality of life. Moreover, advances in multimodal imaging techniques, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and onboard volumetric image systems, have facilitated treatment planning, target delineation, and response assessment during and after radiotherapy. Thus, radiotherapy continues to be an integral component in head and neck cancer treatment, and ongoing research efforts are directed toward overcoming challenges related to precision, toxicities, and long-term outcomes.
This Research Topic aims to provide an update on current radiotherapy treatment options for head and neck cancers, discuss the rationale behind those strategies, evaluate their benefits and limitations, and discuss the technical challenges associated with these strategies. We welcome original research, cutting-edge reviews, and clinical, pathological, and translational studies related but not limited to the following:
1) Treatment optimization and personalization: exploring new approaches for individualizing and optimizing head and neck radiotherapy treatments.
2) Radiobiology of head and neck tumors: unraveling the complexities of radiobiological characteristics in head and neck tumors.
3) Quality assurance and safety in head and neck radiotherapy: current challenges and solutions in ensuring treatment planning, delivery, and verification accuracy.
4) Survivorship and quality of life in head and neck cancer patients: addressing long-term challenges in functional outcomes, psychosocial well-being, and overall quality of life.
5) Future directions in head and neck radiotherapy: exploring emerging technologies and therapeutic approaches, including but not limited to combined immunotherapy, flash radiotherapy, spatially fractionated radiotherapy (sfrt), etc.
6) Toxicity management in head and neck radiotherapy: from acute effects to long-term morbidity, strategies for managing treatment-related toxicities
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of the scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
