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]).

Hyperactive cancer-promoting proteins help tumor cells evade immune attack

The immune system may recognize a cancer cell and still fail to destroy it. Researchers at Hiroshima University and their international collaborators found that hyperactive YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), two cancer-promoting proteins, were associated with genomic instability that may make cancer cells more recognizable to the immune system, while also increasing PD-L2, which helps the cells suppress T-cell attack.

30 Oct 2026

Unstable immune cells linked to severe cancer immunotherapy side effects

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh uncovered the unstable immune cells that can cause up to 40% of immunotherapy patients to experience serious side effects and showed that diet and microbiome composition influence the side effect's severity.

22 Oct 2026

Starting survivorship care earlier improves head and neck cancer survival

Beginning survivorship care for head and neck cancer patients earlier is linked to better survival and lower recurrence, according to a new University of Pittsburgh study published today in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery.

22 Oct 2026

Study identifies potential treatment target for aggressive lung tumors

A UTHealth Houston-led team has identified a promising new avenue to curb the growth and spread of tumors associated with hard-to-treat lung and other cancers.

20 Oct 2026

US counties with more medical debt see higher rates of several late-stage cancers

Higher medical debt is linked to more late-stage cancer diagnoses across U.S. counties.

9 Oct 2026

Weekly cisplatin fails to reduce acute toxicity in advanced head and neck cancer

Physicians typically use either a higher dose of cisplatin given every three weeks or a lower dose given weekly in combination with radiation to treat locally advanced head and neck cancer.

29 Sep 2026

Neck lymph node removal surgery may disrupt brain waste clearance

Surgery to remove lymph nodes in the neck may interfere with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage from the brain, contributing to cognitive impairment, according to new multicenter research led by Weill Cornell Medicine scientists.

29 Sep 2026

Blood tests can identify cancer neoantigens for personalized immunotherapy

Cancer neoantigens and neoantigen-specific T cells were identified from patient blood samples by analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and immune cells, respectively, and they largely matched those found through traditional tumor tissue biopsy in many patients.

29 Sep 2026

Study identifies inconsistent care routines for internal head and neck lymphedema

Internal head and neck lymphedema develops when cancer treatment damages or obstructs lymphatic drainage, causing fluid to accumulate in the oral cavity, pharynx, or larynx.

28 Sep 2026

UCLA researchers present new radiation advances at ASTRO 2026

Physicians and scientists from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center will share new research and clinical trial findings at the 2026 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, including studies on new treatment approaches for prostate, bile duct and head and neck cancers, personalized radiation therapy based on genetic risk, and advances in targeted radiation and radioligand therapy designed to improve cancer control while limiting treatment side effects.

25 Sep 2026

Researchers create virtual cells to accelerate drug discovery efforts

Mitochondria - tiny structures that convert nutrients into energy - are often depicted as discrete kidney bean-shaped objects.

18 Sep 2026

Penn Medicine tests FLASH proton therapy for cancer patients

A new form of proton therapy-designed to deliver cancer-killing radiation therapy in less than a second, through fewer total sessions, with potentially less risk of damaging side effects-is now being tested in a Phase I clinical trial at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

1 Sep 2026

Preoperative combination therapy improves head and neck cancer outcomes

Patients with head and neck cancer who received chemotherapy in addition to immunotherapy before surgery had a significantly reduced tumor size at the time of operation than patients who received immunotherapy alone.

13 Aug 2026

Study identifies a novel direct drug target for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone of treatment for head and neck cancers, the seventh-most common cancer type worldwide.

6 Aug 2026

Insilico Medicine highlights AI-powered biological target discovery for rare sinonasal cancer

Insilico Medicine ("Insilico"), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven biotechnology company, today announced the publication of a collaborative study in the journal npj Precision Oncology.

4 Aug 2026

FluoGuide announces positive results from Phase 2 oral head and neck cancer trial

FluoGuide A/S, a biotech company maximizing surgical outcomes in oncology by lighting up cancer, today announced positive results from the first part of its ongoing FG001-CT-005 Phase 2 trial evaluating FG001 for surgical guidance in patients with oral head and neck cancer.

30 Jun 2026

Viral DNA blood test accurately gauges post-surgery cancer recovery success

A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute found that an ultrasensitive blood test called HPV-DeepSeek could help identify which people with HPV-associated head and neck cancer still had cancer cells in their bodies after surgery and may benefit the most from additional treatments. Their results are published in Science Translational Medicine.

11 Jun 2026

New PET imaging tracks tumor progression and cardiac inflammation during cancer therapy

A novel PET imaging approach enables simultaneous visualization of tumor progression and cardiac inflammatory responses during cancer treatment.

1 Jun 2026

Internal mutations and microbes may drive a distinct subtype of oral cancer

A new study reveals that many oral cancers are no longer driven by traditional risk factors like smoking or Human papillomavirus infection.

22 May 2026

International trial proves AI can design gold-standard cancer treatment plans

An AI technology is effective at planning the delivery of life-saving radiotherapy for cervical cancer and prostate cancer, according to results from a large international trial led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

18 May 2026

Head and Neck Cancer News and Research

Hyperactive cancer-promoting proteins help tumor cells evade immune attack

Unstable immune cells linked to severe cancer immunotherapy side effects

Starting survivorship care earlier improves head and neck cancer survival

Study identifies potential treatment target for aggressive lung tumors

US counties with more medical debt see higher rates of several late-stage cancers

Weekly cisplatin fails to reduce acute toxicity in advanced head and neck cancer

Neck lymph node removal surgery may disrupt brain waste clearance

Blood tests can identify cancer neoantigens for personalized immunotherapy

Study identifies inconsistent care routines for internal head and neck lymphedema

UCLA researchers present new radiation advances at ASTRO 2026

Researchers create virtual cells to accelerate drug discovery efforts

Penn Medicine tests FLASH proton therapy for cancer patients

Preoperative combination therapy improves head and neck cancer outcomes

Study identifies a novel direct drug target for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Insilico Medicine highlights AI-powered biological target discovery for rare sinonasal cancer

FluoGuide announces positive results from Phase 2 oral head and neck cancer trial

Viral DNA blood test accurately gauges post-surgery cancer recovery success

New PET imaging tracks tumor progression and cardiac inflammation during cancer therapy

Internal mutations and microbes may drive a distinct subtype of oral cancer

International trial proves AI can design gold-standard cancer treatment plans

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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