Pathogenesis, Diagnostics and Prognostics in Head and Neck Cancer

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Pathophysiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 5096

Special Issue Editors

Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
Interests: tumor immunology; tumor–host interaction; molecular pathogenesis; microcirculation; radiomics; machine learning; salivary gland disorders
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
Interests: cancer diagnostics; cancer stem cells; radiomics; machine learning; regenerative medicine; cancer prognosticators; medical education
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377 Munich, Germany
Interests: tumor immunology; tumor biology; molecular pathogenesis; cancer prognosticators; medical education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Head and neck cancer is among the most prevalent cancers worldwide, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the histopathology most commonly found.

Based on common risk factors, such as alcohol and tobacco use on the one hand and human papilloma virus (HPV) on the other hand, differences in its pathogenesis and prognosis are known.

Although HPV-associated HNSCC has supposedly better therapy outcomes, improvements in HNSCC prognosis are still marginal.

Therefore, new insights into the tumor biology and pathogenesis of HNSCC are needed. Promising fields of HNSCC research include the tumor microenvironment with, e.g., immune cell infiltrates and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Moreover, cancer stem cells, exosomes and circulating tumor cells are associated with disease progression.

Novel markers, but also techniques such as proteomics or radiomics and computational advances, e.g., machine or deep learning algorithms, guide new ways to improve diagnostics and prognostication in HNSCC, and may lead to treatment deintensification as well as new treatment options.

Therefore, we are looking for manuscripts covering new insights in the pathogenesis, diagnostics and prognostics of HNSCC. We welcome experimental, translational and clinical research articles, as well as review articles.

Best regards,

Prof. Dr. Christoph A. Reichel
Dr. Kariem Sharaf
Dr. Axel Lechner
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • HNSCC
  • molecular pathogenesis
  • diagnosis
  • prognosticators
  • tumor microenvironment
  • tumor biology
  • tumor immunology
  • targeted therapy
  • treatment deintensification
  • neoadjuvant therapy

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4779 KiB  
Article
Longitudinal Changes in the Fatty Acid Profile in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: Associations with Treatment and Inflammatory Response
by Constantina N Christou, Ylva Tiblom Ehrsson, Johan Westerbergh, Ulf Risérus and Göran Laurell
Cancers 2022, 14(15), 3696; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14153696 - 29 Jul 2022
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Abstract
Studies on fatty acids (FAs) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) are limited. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal changes of circulating FAs in patients with HNC and to examine potential correlations of FA changes with treatment. The secondary aims were [...] Read more.
Studies on fatty acids (FAs) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) are limited. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal changes of circulating FAs in patients with HNC and to examine potential correlations of FA changes with treatment. The secondary aims were to investigate correlations of FAs with cytokines and patient-related factors, and if any FAs correlated with disease recurrence or death. A total of 174 patients with HNC were included before treatment and followed-up at three time points after the start of the treatment through blood sampling and body weight measurements. Serum FA profiling was assessed by gas chromatography. The total follow-up time was 3 years. The levels of almost all FAs changed from baseline to 7 weeks. The change in FA 14:0 was associated with treatment and the change in 18:3n-6 was associated with the patients’ pre-treatment BMI. FAs 14:0 and 18:0 were correlated with weight changes from baseline to 7 weeks. IL-6 was correlated with three FAs at 7 weeks and with two FAs at 1 year. Patients with higher levels 20:5n-3 at 3 months had a higher risk of all-cause death within 3 years (HR 2.75, 95% CI 1.22–6.21). Treatment, inflammation, and weight loss contributed in a complex manner to the altered FA profile in the studied cohort. The association between IL-6 and FAs in patients with HNC is in line with earlier studies and suggests the opportunity for regulating inflammation in HNC patients through modulation of FAs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Diagnostics and Prognostics in Head and Neck Cancer)
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13 pages, 498 KiB  
Article
Association between Preexisting Sleep Disorders and Oncologic Outcome in Patients with Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Nationwide Propensity Score—Matched Population-Based Cohort Study
by Shih-Hao Ou, Wan-Ming Chen, Ben-Chang Shia, Szu-Yuan Wu and Hsuan-Chih Lin
Cancers 2022, 14(14), 3420; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14143420 - 14 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1158
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the effects of preexisting sleep disorders on the oncologic outcomes of patients receiving standard treatments for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: The patients recruited from the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database who had received surgery for stage I–IVB OSCC. The [...] Read more.
Purpose: To investigate the effects of preexisting sleep disorders on the oncologic outcomes of patients receiving standard treatments for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: The patients recruited from the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database who had received surgery for stage I–IVB OSCC. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze all-cause mortality, locoregional recurrence (LRR), and distant metastasis (DM). The patients were categorized into those with and without sleep disorders (Groups 1 and 2, respectively) through propensity score matching. Results: In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, the adjusted hazard ratios for all-cause mortality, LRR, and DM for Group 1 compared with Group 2 were 1.19 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04–1.36; p = 0.011), 1.47 (95% CI: 1.23–1.75; p < 0.001), and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.02–1.44; p = 0.025), respectively. Conclusion: OSCC patients with sleep disorders demonstrated poorer oncologic outcomes than did those without sleep disorders. Therefore, before OSCC surgery, patients with OSCC should be screened for preexisting sleep disorders because they may serve as predictors for survival in these patients. Future studies investigating the survival benefits of pharmacological and behavioral treatments for sleep problems in patients with OSCC are warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Diagnostics and Prognostics in Head and Neck Cancer)
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Review

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31 pages, 970 KiB  
Review
The Epigenesis of Salivary Glands Carcinoma: From Field Cancerization to Carcinogenesis
by Norhafiza Mat Lazim, Anam Yousaf, Mai Abdel Haleem Abusalah, Sarina Sulong, Zul Izhar Mohd Ismail, Rohimah Mohamud, Hashem A. Abu-Harirah, Tareq Nayef AlRamadneh, Rosline Hassan and Baharudin Abdullah
Cancers 2023, 15(7), 2111; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15072111 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2010
Abstract
Salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs) are a diverse collection of malignant tumors with marked differences in biological activity, clinical presentation and microscopic appearance. Although the etiology is varied, secondary radiation, oncogenic viruses as well as chromosomal rearrangements have all been linked to the formation [...] Read more.
Salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs) are a diverse collection of malignant tumors with marked differences in biological activity, clinical presentation and microscopic appearance. Although the etiology is varied, secondary radiation, oncogenic viruses as well as chromosomal rearrangements have all been linked to the formation of SGCs. Epigenetic modifications may also contribute to the genesis and progression of SGCs. Epigenetic modifications are any heritable changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in DNA sequence. It is now widely accepted that epigenetics plays an important role in SGCs development. A basic epigenetic process that has been linked to a variety of pathological as well as physiological conditions including cancer formation, is DNA methylation. Transcriptional repression is caused by CpG islands hypermethylation at gene promoters, whereas hypomethylation causes overexpression of a gene. Epigenetic changes in SGCs have been identified, and they have been linked to the genesis, progression as well as prognosis of these neoplasms. Thus, we conduct a thorough evaluation of the currently known evidence on the involvement of epigenetic processes in SGCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathogenesis, Diagnostics and Prognostics in Head and Neck Cancer)
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