Image-Guided Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is a modern radiation therapy technique that improves the precision and accuracy of treatment delivery in the form of ionized irradiation in head and neck cancer. Due to the complex anatomy and proximity of critical structures in the head and neck region, even slight changes in patient positioning, tumor size, or even patient anatomy can affect treatment accuracy and delivery. Therefore, developing modern and precise radiotherapy techniques such as IGRT—which implements advanced imaging technologies (such as cone-beam CT (CBCT), CT-on-rails, or MRI) in order to verify patient position and monitor potential anatomical changes in real time before/during each treatment session—is mandatory in this subgroup of patients. This approach allows for tighter treatment margins, potentially reducing irradiation of the surrounding healthy tissues and organs at risk (e.g., spinal cord, salivary glands, brainstem, blood vessels, pharyngeal constrictors, etc.), while ensuring the tumor receives the prescribed and planned dose. Additionally, IGRT supports adaptive radiotherapy, in which previously established treatment plans can be modified during the treatment course with respect to changes in tumor size or patient anatomy, leading to more tailored and individualized approach. Overall, IGRT improves treatment accuracy, minimizes side effects, and might lead to improved outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy as part of integral oncological approach.
Dr. Petar Suton
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT)
- head and neck cancer
- radiation therapy
- cone-beam CT (CBCT)
- adaptive radiotherapy
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