Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Unit of Radiation Oncology, Ospedale del Mare, ASL Napoli 1 Centro, 80147 Naples, Italy
Interests: Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma;Radiotherapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ospedale del Mare, Naples, Italy
Interests: head and neck cancer radiotherapy, cancer treatment in elderly, cancer and nutrition, radiomic, artificial intelligenge in head and neck cancer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the second edition of our Special Issue “Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/special_issues/K8416L69RR).

Head and neck cancer is responsible for 4% of all malignancies and is responsible for over 650,000 cases and 330,000 deaths globally. A team of medical professionals, including oncologists, radiologists, and surgical oncologists, work together to manage these conditions. The treatment options for each case vary based on factors such as the cancer type and stage, patient preferences, and potential side effects.

Radiation therapy is a key treatment for head and neck cancer, which can occur in various sites in the head and neck. Radiotherapy can be used alone or with other treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy, to destroy cancer cells and reduce symptoms. The benefits of radiotherapy include preserving organ function, controlling pain, and being an effective option for patients unable to undergo surgery, although there can be side effects such as a dry mouth and skin irritation, which can be managed with supportive care.  The use of AI in head and neck cancer radiotherapic treatment has shown promising results in optimizing and standardizing the patient workflow. AI algorithms can help identify patterns and predict oncological and toxicity outcomes, leading to better clinical decision-making.

Chemoradiotherapy is currently the accepted treatment for locally advanced head and neck cancer, with the concomitant approach showing an increase in curability. HPV infection, alcohol, and tobacco use are recognized risk factors for head and neck cancers. HPV-related cancers tend to have a more favorable prognosis, meaning that intense treatments may be unnecessary. Nevertheless, recent developments in radiotherapy, particularly intensity-modulated radiotherapy, molecular imaging-guided radiotherapy, adaptive radiotherapy, and proton therapy, can reduce the long-term toxicity of radiation therapy. Lastly, the immune system plays a vital role in fighting these cancers, and PD-1 blockade treatment has shown promising results for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancers. In this Special Issue, we invite authors to submit research papers, reviews, and professional opinions that discuss the topic of locally advanced head and neck cancers.

Dr. Cesare Guida
Dr. Ida D'Onofrio
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Keywords

  • • Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. • Radiotherapy. • Biomarker. • Chemoradiotherapy. • Head and neck cancers.

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This special issue is now open for submission.
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