Head and Neck Cancer News and Research

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Head and Neck Cancer is cancer that arises in the head or neck region (in the nasal cavity, sinuses, lips, mouth, salivary glands, throat, or larynx [voice box]).

AI tool predicts tumor aggressiveness using protein markers

As cancer cases have increased worldwide, the disease has become more complex, presenting challenges to scientific advances in diagnosis and treatment.

15 Jul 2025

Survey highlights widespread emotional impact of cancer on patients and their families

A cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event for patients that can cause short- and long-term mental health concerns as they shift to living within a new timeline driven by weeks or months between medical follow-up appointments.

15 Jul 2025

Understanding resistance to EGFR targeted therapies in head and neck cancers and breast cancer

A new review was published in Volume 16 of Oncotarget on June 25, 2025, titled "Challenges and resistance mechanisms to EGFR targeted therapies in head and neck cancers and breast cancer: Insights into RTK dependent and independent mechanisms."

10 Jul 2025

Fluorescent drug helps surgeons see nerves clearly during complex procedures

When surgeons dissect tissue to remove a tumor or make a repair they must work cautiously, relying on electrophysical monitors and their own anatomical knowledge to avoid cutting nerves, which could complicate the patient's recovery.

4 Jul 2025

FDA approval of pembrolizumab marks major shift in head and neck cancer treatment

Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1 [Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥1] as determined by an FDA-approved test.

15 Jun 2025

Combination treatment extends progression-free survival in advanced skin cancer

In patients with an advanced type of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), those who received the combination of the immunotherapy drug avelumab and targeted agent cetuximab had almost four times longer median progression-free survival compared to patients who received avelumab alone, according to the results of a phase 2 trial presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting and concurrently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

1 Jun 2025

New blood test detects HPV-linked head and neck cancer with unmatched accuracy

A new liquid biopsy blood test could help detect cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancers with significantly higher accuracy than currently used methods, including before patients develop symptoms, according to new Mass General Brigham research.

20 May 2025

Study identifies key enzyme linked to metastasis in head and neck cancer

A recent study published in Engineering has shed new light on the mechanisms underlying the metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

8 May 2025

Immunotherapy before and after surgery boost longer event-free survival in head and neck cancer

Patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer who received the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab before, during and after standard-of-care surgery had longer event-free survival without the cancer coming back and higher rates of substantial tumor shrinkage prior to surgery, according to the first interim analysis of a randomized, open-label phase 3 clinical trial led by investigators from Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

6 May 2025

CAD/CAM techniques improve outcomes in jaw reconstruction after cancer surgery

For patients undergoing jaw reconstruction after surgery for head and neck cancer, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) techniques can improve some key clinical outcomes, reports a study in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

30 Apr 2025

Northwestern researchers call for better survivorship care for cancer patients

More Americans are beating cancer than ever, yet many still grapple with treatment's long shadow - especially on their mental health.

29 Apr 2025

Pre and post-surgical immunotherapy improves survival in head and neck cancer patients

27 Apr 2025

Dana-Farber experts present innovative cancer studies at the 2025 AACR Annual Meeting

Numerous studies conducted by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report progress for cancers including head and neck cancer, metastatic breast cancer and lung cancer.

27 Apr 2025

Step-and-shoot proton arc therapy reduces cancer treatment side effects

For many cancer patients, side effects from radiation can be debilitating. But a new way of delivering radiation treatment has proven effective at eliminating a hard-to-treat cancer with the only side effect being light skin discoloration, even nine months after treatment.

24 Apr 2025

Expansion of mutant blood cells linked to worse cancer outcomes

Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, UCL, Gustave Roussy and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), have discovered that expansion of mutant blood cells, a phenomenon linked to aging, can be found in cancerous tumors, and this is associated with worse outcomes for patients.

23 Apr 2025

Study sheds new light on the mechanisms underlying head and neck cancer metastasis

A recent study published in Engineering has shed new light on the mechanisms underlying the metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The research identified enolase 2 (ENO2), a crucial glycolytic enzyme, as a significant factor associated with lymphatic metastasis in HNSCC.

27 Mar 2025

Citrus remedy squeezes out dry mouth for cancer patients

A natural citrus oil from oranges, lemons, and limes is proving highly effective in relieving dry mouth, and when combined with a new lipid formulation, new research suggests it may be effective without significant side effects.

24 Mar 2025

Caregivers of cancer patients face high rates of PTSD

Every year, millions of family members and friends provide care for loved ones undergoing cancer treatment, often at great emotional cost.

19 Mar 2025

Combination immunotherapy improves treatment response for head and neck cancer

Researchers conducting a clinical trial of immunotherapy drugs for people with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) found that patients responded better to a combination of two immunotherapies than patients who received just one immunotherapy drug.

13 Mar 2025

Walking more steps and exercise linked to lower risk of death in postmenopausal cancer survivors

Among postmenopausal women with a history of cancer, taking more daily steps and engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were both associated with a significantly reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2025.

10 Mar 2025