Advances in Diagnostics of Head and Neck Cancer: Volume II

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 6103

Special Issue Editors

Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Interests: molecular biology; genetics; epigenetics; diagnostics; head and neck cancers
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Laryngological Oncology in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia Katowice, PL-41800 Zabrze, Poland
Interests: head and neck oncology; narrowings of the upper airways; vocal cord paralysis; sleep apnea; rhinosurgery
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The first edition of this Special Issue summarized current knowledge regarding "Advances in Diagnostics of Head and Neck Cancer". Many interesting studies have provided new and fundamental insights into the tumorigenesis and progression of head and neck cancer. Further studies on the diagnostics of head and neck cancer are required, leading to our decision to open submissions for Volume II of this Special Issue.

The relative 5-year survival rate for tumors in the head and neck area, including the oral cavity, pharynx, sinonasal cavity, and salivary glands, has increased over the last 40 years. Tobacco smoke, alcohol abuse, and viral infection with human papillomavirus are risk factors. Molecular alterations such as genetic and epigenetic aberrations in carcinogenesis of the head and neck have been identified. Head and neck cancer is a common disease and requires an interdisciplinary involvement of physicians from many specializations, including surgeons, molecular biologists, geneticists, radiotherapists, and pathologists. The main goal of this cooperation and a great deal of the research conducted around the world is to develop diagnostic methods that shorten the patient’s waiting time for treatment proposals and allow the most effective treatment method to be used. This will allow better results in the treatment of patients with head and neck tumors. The growing number of tumors in the head and neck area is the main reason for searching for new diagnostic biomarkers. Moreover, the expanded knowledge of molecular pathogenesis for head and neck cancerogenesis can be exploited to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

This Special Issue aims to enrich the field of research of head and neck tumors by gathering submissions that identify diagnostic biomarkers for head and neck tumors, and that discuss new research developments in the molecular pathology of head and neck malignancies.

To contribute to the knowledge on the diagnosis of head and neck malignancies, the following topics will be considered: the molecular biology of head and neck cancer, the tumor microenvironment, and the prognostic and predictive roles of biomarkers.

Prof. Dr. Joanna Katarzyna Strzelczyk
Prof. Dr. Maciej Misiolek
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 short 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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • head and neck cancer
  • diagnostics
  • biomarkers
  • personalized medicine
  • epigenetics
  • genetics
  • genes
  • tumor

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 571 KiB  
Article
Low Prevalence of HSV-1 and Helicobacter pylori in HNSCC and Chronic Tonsillitis Patients Compared to Healthy Individuals
by Joanna Katarzyna Strzelczyk, Agata Świętek, Dorota Hudy, Karolina Gołąbek, Jadwiga Gaździcka, Katarzyna Miśkiewicz-Orczyk, Wojciech Ścierski, Janusz Strzelczyk and Maciej Misiołek
Diagnostics 2023, 13(10), 1798; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13101798 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1326
Abstract
Recent studies identified viral and bacterial factors, including HSV-1 and H. pylori, as possible factors associated with diseases such as chronic tonsillitis and cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We assessed the prevalence of HSV-1/2 and H. pylori in [...] Read more.
Recent studies identified viral and bacterial factors, including HSV-1 and H. pylori, as possible factors associated with diseases such as chronic tonsillitis and cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We assessed the prevalence of HSV-1/2 and H. pylori in patients with HNSCC, chronic tonsillitis, and healthy individuals using PCR after DNA isolation. Associations were sought between the presence of HSV-1, H. pylori, and clinicopathological and demographic characteristics and stimulant use. HSV-1 and H. pylori were most frequently identified in controls (HSV-1: 12.5% and H. pylori: 6.3%). There were 7 (7.8%) and 8 (8.6%) patients with positive HSV-1 in HNSCC and chronic tonsillitis patients, respectively, while the prevalence of H. pylori was 0/90 (0%) and 3/93 (3.2%), respectively. More cases of HSV-1 were observed in older individuals in the control group. All positive HSV-1 cases in the HNSCC group were associated with advanced tumor stage (T3/T4). The prevalence of HSV-1 and H. pylori was highest in the controls compared to HNSCC and chronic tonsillitis patients, which indicates that the pathogens were not risk factors. However, since all positive HSV-1 cases in the HNSCC group were observed only in patients with advanced tumor stage, we suggested a possible link between HSV-1 and tumor progression. Further follow-up of the study groups is planned. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Diagnostics of Head and Neck Cancer: Volume II)
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10 pages, 982 KiB  
Article
Thyroid Cancer and Psoriasis: A Nested Case–Control Study
by So Young Kim, Dae Myoung Yoo, Juyong Chung and Hyo Geun Choi
Diagnostics 2022, 12(10), 2297; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12102297 - 23 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1321
Abstract
Previous researchers have suggested an elevated risk of thyroid cancer (TC) in patients with psoriasis with mixed results. The current study evaluated the relationship of psoriasis with the risk of TC in an adult population. The data from the Korean National Health Insurance [...] Read more.
Previous researchers have suggested an elevated risk of thyroid cancer (TC) in patients with psoriasis with mixed results. The current study evaluated the relationship of psoriasis with the risk of TC in an adult population. The data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service—Health Screening Cohort ≥ 40 years old were analyzed. In total, 6822 patients with TC were equalized with 27,288 control participants using overlap weighting adjustment based on the propensity score. The history of psoriasis was compared between the TC and control groups using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Secondary analyses were conducted according to age, sex, income, region of residence, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, the Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, hypothyroidism, goiter, thyrotoxicosis, and thyroiditis. The history of psoriasis was not different in patients with TC (overlap-weighted odds ratio (OR) = 1.02, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.85–1.22). The <55-year-old group showed a high rate of TC associated with psoriasis (overlap-weighted OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.22–2.36, p = 0.002). The population without hypothyroidism demonstrated an increased rate of TC related to psoriasis (overlap-weighted OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.06–1.57, p = 0.012). The patients with hypothyroidism showed a low rate of TC for psoriasis (overlap-weighted OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.37–0.96, p = 0.034). None of the other subgroups showed an association between psoriasis and TC. Psoriasis was not related to the risk of TC in the overall adult population. Young adults and populations without hypothyroidism indicated an elevated rate of TC for psoriasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Diagnostics of Head and Neck Cancer: Volume II)
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Review

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17 pages, 335 KiB  
Review
Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy—Current Practice and Future Perspectives for Recurrent/Metastatic Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
by Cecília Melo-Alvim, Maria Eduarda Neves, Jorge Leitão Santos, André N. Abrunhosa-Branquinho, Tiago Barroso, Luís Costa and Leonor Ribeiro
Diagnostics 2023, 13(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13010099 - 29 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1202
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm affecting the oral cavity. While surgical resection is the cornerstone of a multimodal curative approach, some tumors are deemed recurrent or metastatic (R/M) and often not suitable for curative surgery. This mainly [...] Read more.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm affecting the oral cavity. While surgical resection is the cornerstone of a multimodal curative approach, some tumors are deemed recurrent or metastatic (R/M) and often not suitable for curative surgery. This mainly occurs due to the extent of lesions or when surgery is expected to result in poor functional outcomes. Amongst the main non-surgical therapeutic options for oral squamous cell carcinoma are radiotherapy, chemotherapy, molecular targeted agents, and immunotherapy. Depending on the disease setting, these therapeutic approaches can be used isolated or in combination, with distinct efficacy and side effects. All these factors must be considered for treatment decisions within a multidisciplinary approach. The present article reviews the evidence regarding the treatment of patients with R/M oral squamous cell carcinoma. The main goal is to provide an overview of available treatment options and address future therapeutic perspectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Diagnostics of Head and Neck Cancer: Volume II)
23 pages, 378 KiB  
Review
p53 Modulates Radiosensitivity in Head and Neck Cancers—From Classic to Future Horizons
by Camil Ciprian Mireștean, Roxana Irina Iancu and Dragoș Petru Teodor Iancu
Diagnostics 2022, 12(12), 3052; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics12123052 - 05 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1523
Abstract
p53, initially considered a tumor suppressor, has been the subject of research related to cancer treatment resistance in the last 30 years. The unfavorable response to multimodal therapy and the higher recurrence rate, despite an aggressive approach, make HNSCC a research topic of [...] Read more.
p53, initially considered a tumor suppressor, has been the subject of research related to cancer treatment resistance in the last 30 years. The unfavorable response to multimodal therapy and the higher recurrence rate, despite an aggressive approach, make HNSCC a research topic of interest for improving therapeutic outcomes, even if it is only the sixth most common malignancy worldwide. New advances in molecular biology and genetics include the involvement of miRNA in the control of the p53 pathway, the understanding of mechanisms such as gain/loss of function, and the development of different methods to restore p53 function, especially for HPV-negative cases. The different ratio between mutant p53 status in the primary tumor and distant metastasis originating HNSCC may serve to select the best therapeutic target for activating an abscopal effect by radiotherapy as a “booster” of the immune system. P53 may also be a key player in choosing radiotherapy fractionation regimens. Targeting any pathway involving p53, including tumor metabolism, in particular the Warburg effect, could modulate the radiosensitivity and chemo-sensitivity of head and neck cancers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Diagnostics of Head and Neck Cancer: Volume II)
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