Emerging Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies in Head and Neck Cancer
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2026 | Viewed by 317
Special Issue Editors
Interests: head and neck oncology; tumor microenvironment; tumor–stroma interaction; treatment resistance; radiotherapy sensitization; targeted therapy; precision oncology
2. "Ion Chiricuță" Institute of Oncology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Interests: translational oncology; hematologic malignancies; stem cell biology; cancer stem cells; immunotherapy; cell-based therapies; tumor microenvironment; precision medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Head and neck cancer (HNC) includes varied tumors arising from the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, characterized by distinct molecular profiles and complex pathogenic pathways. Clinically, these malignancies are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, often requiring multimodal treatment approaches. While treatment advances have improved care, patients with advanced-stage disease or early-stage tumors demonstrating high-risk pathological features remain at elevated risk of poor outcomes due to persistent issues such as therapy resistance, locoregional relapse, and distant dissemination. A deeper understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive tumor progression, treatment response, and immune evasion is essential to improve patient outcomes and guide the development of more effective, personalized treatment strategies.
In recent years, significant progress has been made in elucidating the biological complexity of HNC, including the contributions of cancer stem cells, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, tumor–stroma interactions, immune modulation, and the oncogenic impact of viruses such as HPV. These findings are reshaping current perspectives on disease pathogenesis and revealing new opportunities for therapeutic innovation.
For this Special Issue, we invite original research articles and reviews that address emerging mechanisms and therapeutic strategies related to head and neck cancer. Areas of focus may include cellular signaling networks, resistance to conventional and targeted therapies, immunotherapeutic approaches, tumor microenvironment dynamics, biomarker development, and novel treatment combinations. We are particularly interested in studies that bridge basic science with translational and clinical relevance, contributing to advancing precision oncology in HNC.
Dr. Madalina Anca Moldovan
Dr. Ciprian Tomuleasa
Guest Editors
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. Cells 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
- tumor microenvironment
- epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)
- tumor–stroma interaction
- treatment resistance
- radiotherapy sensitization
- targeted therapy
- precision oncology
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
