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Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives
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Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2027 | Viewed by 4193

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ana Jotic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 2 Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinical Center, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: adult and pediatric otorhinolaryngology in children; otology; otosurgery; audiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite submissions for an upcoming Special Issue titled "Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives", which aims to provide a comprehensive platform for contemporary research into the biology of head and neck tumors.

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) represent a diverse group of malignancies with complex biological behavior. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, outcomes remain suboptimal due to tumor heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance, and late-stage presentation. This Special Issue will focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying HNCs, including genetic and epigenetic alterations, dysregulated signaling pathways, and abnormal protein interactions. We encourage submissions exploring the roles of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, as well as the impact of the tumor microenvironment on angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune evasion.

In addition, we welcome studies addressing mechanisms of drug resistance, tumor response to therapy, and the molecular etiology and risk factors that drive malignant transformation. Both original research and comprehensive reviews are invited.

By gathering current insights and future perspectives, this Special Issue aims to enhance understanding and foster innovation in the biology-driven management of head and neck cancers. We look forward to your valuable contributions.

Dr. Ana Jotic
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Biology 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 2700 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
  • tumor microenvironment
  • genetic and epigenetic alterations
  • oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
  • signal transduction pathways
  • immune evasion
  • metastasis
  • drug resistance mechanisms
  • molecular etiology
  • cancer biology

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2036 KB  
Article
Histological Evaluation of Radiotherapy-Induced Changes in Periodontal Tissues in a Rat Model of Experimental Periodontitis
by Batuhan Hazar Ayşeşek, Buse Başak Feyizoğlu, Vakur Olgaç, İlknur Bingül, Nazlı Ayşeşek, Ülkü Başer and Ayşen Gülden Işık
Biology 2026, 15(10), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15100803 - 19 May 2026
Viewed by 163
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of head and neck cancer treatment, but it can adversely affect periodontal tissues by impairing vascularity, cellularity, and healing capacity. The present study aimed to histologically and immunohistochemically evaluate radiotherapy-induced changes in periodontal tissues in a rat model [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of head and neck cancer treatment, but it can adversely affect periodontal tissues by impairing vascularity, cellularity, and healing capacity. The present study aimed to histologically and immunohistochemically evaluate radiotherapy-induced changes in periodontal tissues in a rat model of experimental periodontitis, with particular focus on periodontal ligament width (PerioW) and the RANK/RANKL/OPG axis at different healing stages. Methods: Seventy-two male Sprague–Dawley rats were allocated to three groups: irradiation only (Rt), ligature-induced periodontitis only (Pt), and ligature-induced periodontitis followed by irradiation (PtRt). Experimental periodontitis was induced by placing ligatures around the maxillary first molars for two weeks. On the day of ligature removal, the irradiated groups received a single 20 Gy dose to the head and neck region. Animals were euthanized on days 1, 15, and 30 after ligature removal (n = 8/group/time point). Histomorphometric analysis of PerioW was performed on H&E-stained sections, and immunohistochemical staining was used to quantify RANK, RANKL, and OPG expression. Results: On day 1, PerioW did not differ significantly among groups, although the PtRt group had the highest mean. A significant intergroup difference was observed for RANKL, with higher expression in PtRt than in Pt. On day 15, PerioW differed significantly among groups, with the lowest value in Rt and the highest in PtRt; the Rt–PtRt comparison was significant. At this time point, RANK, RANKL, OPG, and the RANKL/OPG ratio showed no significant intergroup differences. On day 30, no significant intergroup differences were found for PerioW or immunohistochemical parameters; however, PtRt continued to show the highest PerioW and OPG values and the lowest RANKL/OPG ratio. Conclusions: Radiotherapy superimposed on periodontitis enhanced early pro-resorptive signaling and delayed structural normalization of periodontal tissues. Although late increases in OPG suggested a compensatory response, this appeared insufficient to fully reverse radiation-associated periodontal alterations. These findings support the importance of controlling periodontal inflammation before radiotherapy to reduce subsequent periodontal tissue damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives)
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18 pages, 4672 KB  
Article
Environmental Hazards and Chemoresistance in OTSCC: Molecular Docking and Prediction of Paclitaxel and Imatinib as BCL2 and EGFR Inhibitors
by Nishant Kumar Singh, Prankur Awasthi, Agrika Gupta, Nidhi Anand, Balendu Shekher Giri and Saba Hasan
Biology 2025, 14(9), 1174; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14091174 - 2 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1612
Abstract
Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is a common type of oral cancer influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors like exposure to environmental toxins. These environmental toxins can decrease the effectiveness of established chemotherapy drugs, such as Irinotecan, used in OTSCC treatment. [...] Read more.
Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is a common type of oral cancer influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors like exposure to environmental toxins. These environmental toxins can decrease the effectiveness of established chemotherapy drugs, such as Irinotecan, used in OTSCC treatment. Bioinformatics, drug discovery, and machine learning techniques were employed to investigate the impact of Irinotecan on OTSCC patients by identifying targets and signaling pathways, including those that positively influence protein phosphorylation, protein tyrosine kinase activity, the PI3K-Akt (Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- Protein Kinase B) signaling system, cancer pathways, focal adhesion, and the HIF-1 (Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1) signaling pathway. Later, the protein–protein interactions (PPIs) network, along with twelve cytoHubba approaches to finding the most interacting molecule, was employed to find the important proteins BCL2 and EGFR. Drugs related to BCL2 and EGFR were extracted from the DGIdb database for further molecular docking. Molecular docking revealed that Docetaxel, Paclitaxel, Imatinib, Ponatinib, Ibrutinib, Sorafenib, and Etoposide showed more binding affinity than Irinotecan (i.e., −9.8, −9.6). Of these, Paclitaxel (−10.3, −11.4) and Imatinib (−9.9, −10.4) are common in targeting BCL2 and EGFR. Using these identified candidate genes and pathways, we may be able to uncover new therapeutic targets for the treatment of OTSCC. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed for selected ligand–receptor complexes, revealing stable binding interactions and favorable energetic profiles that supported the docking results and strengthened the reliability of the proposed drug repurposing strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives)
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Review

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34 pages, 8345 KB  
Review
Involvement of Non-Coding RNAs in the Glucose Metabolic Reprogramming of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: From Mechanisms to Therapeutics
by Jiaxin Huang, Minfei Liu, Ying Lin, Jiajun Mai, Jiashen Chen and Yiming Yang
Biology 2026, 15(5), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15050373 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 871
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by frequent recurrence and metastasis, which poses a significant global health problem. One of the prominent hallmarks of cancer is glucose metabolic reprogramming, wherein glycolysis is preferred over oxidative phosphorylation for macromolecule [...] Read more.
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy characterized by frequent recurrence and metastasis, which poses a significant global health problem. One of the prominent hallmarks of cancer is glucose metabolic reprogramming, wherein glycolysis is preferred over oxidative phosphorylation for macromolecule biosynthesis and energy production, even in the presence of oxygen. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are defined as a class of RNAs that are not translated into proteins, which include microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. Recent studies have found that ncRNAs are crucial in regulating glycolysis in OSCC, wherein they reshape the metabolic landscape by modulating the expression of glucose transporters, essential enzymes, and transcription factors, ultimately influencing tumorigenesis. This comprehensive review systematically summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs involved in glucose metabolic reprogramming in OSCC, evaluates their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and identifies clinically relevant ncRNAs through an integrative analysis of patient-derived data. These insights provide a mechanistic understanding of the metabolic alterations that drive progression in OSCC, as well as knowledge that can facilitate the development of clinically translatable targeted interventions for this aggressive malignancy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives)
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23 pages, 2309 KB  
Review
The Oncogenic Role of Long Non-Coding RNA NEAT1 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Implications
by Yuanxin Shi, Bin Chen and Guohui Bai
Biology 2026, 15(4), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15040307 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 915
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor patient outcomes. The long non-coding RNA NEAT1 (lncRNA NEAT1) has emerged as a critical driver of HNSCC pathogenesis. This review synthesizes current knowledge on lncRNA NEAT1’s aberrant expression, [...] Read more.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an aggressive malignancy with poor patient outcomes. The long non-coding RNA NEAT1 (lncRNA NEAT1) has emerged as a critical driver of HNSCC pathogenesis. This review synthesizes current knowledge on lncRNA NEAT1’s aberrant expression, molecular mechanisms, and functional roles in HNSCC. LncRNA NEAT1 is significantly upregulated in tumors and promotes progression by acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for multiple miRNAs, such as miR-125b-5p, miR-204, and miR-34a-5p, thereby regulating downstream targets including SLC1A5, ZEB1, and components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These interactions drive key oncogenic processes, including proliferation, metastasis, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, therapy resistance, and cell death inhibition. Clinically, high lncRNA NEAT1 expression correlates with advanced T stage, lymph node metastasis, and reduced survival, underscoring its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Therapeutically, emerging approaches such as nanoparticle-mediated delivery of siRNA/shRNA offer a promising strategy to target lncRNA NEAT1, potentially synergizing with existing immunotherapies. Although clinical translation remains challenging, lncRNA NEAT1 represents a highly promising biological target for future precision oncology in HNSCC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Head and Neck Cancer: Current Advances and Future Perspectives)
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