Abstract
This chapter summarizes recent advances in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, monitoring, prognosis, and treatment of head and neck cancer obtained by using modern molecular biological tools to study gene expression and chromosomal aberrations. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) of the upper aerodigestive tract represent approximately 4% of all cancers. Despite treatments that consist of mutilating surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy, overall long-term survival remains low due to uncontrollable persistent or recurrent HNSCC. The low rate of survival of patients with locoregional and distant recurrences has highlighted the need for new approaches for diagnosis and treatment. The predominant environmental risk factors for developing HNSCC are the use of alcohol and tobacco, immunosuppression, chewing betel quid nuts, and exposure to high-risk human papilloma virus. Visual inspection is the most common method of detecting oral and oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma. The diagnosis is frequently delayed because symptoms for which patients seeks medical attention such as pain, dysphagia, and shortness of breath occur late in the stage of disease. Patients treated for HNSCC are followed clinically for evidence of recurrent disease and development of second primary lesions or distant metastasis. Genomic technologies have the potential to change the basis of clinical oncologic practice in various ways.
