18F-FDG PET/CT has rapidly become a widely used imaging modality for evaluating a variety of malignancies, including squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and thyroid cancer. Using both published data and the multidisciplinary experience at our institution, we provide a practical set of guidelines and algorithms for the use of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the evaluation and management of head and n...

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a validated target in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). However, despite high expression of EGFR in these cancers, EGFR inhibitor monotherapy has only had modest activity. Potential mechanisms of resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies involve EGFR and Ras mutations, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and activation of alternative...

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a significant cause of cancer deaths worldwide, has multiple stepwise malignant evolutions. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a critical role in tumor development, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis that impact local recurrence and survival. mTOR can also act as a biomarker for personalized adjuvant therapy. In in vivo and in vitro stud...

PURPOSE Cancer cachexia is a devastating and understudied illness in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The primary objective was to identify clinical characteristics and serum levels of cytokines and cachexia-related factors in patients with HNSCC. The secondary objective was to detect the occurrence of cytokine and cachexia-related factor gene expression in HNSCC tum...

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer in the western world. Over the last few decades little improvement has been made to increase the relatively low 5-year survival rate. This calls for novel and improved therapies. Here, we describe opportunities in immunotherapy for head and neck cancer patients and hurdles yet to be overcome. Viruses are involved in a subset ...

In this study, endogenous long chain ceramides were measured in 32 human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and 10 nonsquamous head and neck carcinoma tumor tissues, as compared with adjacent noncancerous tissues, by liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Interestingly, only one specific ceramide, C(18:0)-ceramide, was selectively down-regulated in the majority of HNSCC tumor tissu...

OBJECTIVE To propose national guidelines for the initial assessment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS Comprehensive review of the literature and consensus discussion with national experts in the field. RESULTS Consensus guidelines are proposed concerning the work-up of patients with a presumed diagnosis of a squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract.

The results of published studies about the relationships between folate intake and risk of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remained inconsistent. Hence, a comprehensive and dose-response meta-analysis was performed to clarify the association between folate intake and HNSCC risk.The electric searches of Pubmed, Medline, and EMBASE databases were performed to identify the studies ex...

BACKGROUND Weight loss is common among patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and is mainly due to tumor and treatment related factors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate weight loss in patients with SCCHN undergoing two different radiotherapy (RT) schedules. MATERIAL AND METHODS Nutritional data were analyzed from the ARTSCAN study, a controlled randomiz...