New Insights into Oral Cancer: From Early Detection to Advanced Therapeutics

A special issue of Oral (ISSN 2673-6373).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1369

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Head and Neck and Sense Organs, School of Dentistry, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCSS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome Campus, Rome, Italy
Interests: oral medicine; oral cancer; oral surgery; oral oncology; ONJ (osteonecrosis of the jaws)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Head and Neck Department, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy
Interests: oral medicine; oral cancer; oral surgery; oral oncology; ONJ (osteonecrosis of the jaws)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Head and Neck and Sense Organs, School of Dentistry, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCSS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome Campus, Rome, Italy
Interests: oral medicine; oral cancer; oral surgery; oral oncology; ONJ (osteonecrosis of the jaws)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oral cancer remains a significant global health challenge: late diagnosis and limited therapeutic options, especially in advanced stages, cause high morbidity and mortality. Approximately 50% of individuals die within five years after diagnosis, while the remaining patients experience aesthetic and functional impairments that profoundly affect their quality of life.

This Special Issue aims to collect and publish high-quality contributions on the latest advances in the diagnosis, etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of oral malignancies, extending beyond squamous cell carcinoma. We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, and case series or case reports that explore novel diagnostic tools such as molecular and imaging biomarkers, elucidate risk factors and pathogenic mechanisms, and evaluate innovative therapeutic strategies including targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and novel surgical—both resective and reconstructive— approches. Furthermore, the Issue includes contributions addressing novel, non-invasive tools for follow-up and prognostic evaluation, such as salivary and molecular biomarkers, and advanced imaging techniques, which support long-term surveillance, early detection of recurrence, and personalized patient management.

By assembling current evidence and emerging perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to improve early detection, personalize treatment approaches, and ultimately enhance outcomes and quality of life for patients with oral cancer. We particularly encourage submissions from leading experts and active researchers in the field, with the aim of providing an updated overview of current knowledge and stimulating further research on this important topic.

Dr. Gioele Gioco
Dr. Carlo Lajolo
Dr. Cosimo Rupe
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. Oral 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 1200 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

  • oral cancer
  • squamous cell carcinoma
  • diagnosis
  • etiology
  • biomarkers
  • imaging techniques
  • targeted therapy
  • immunotherapy
  • reconstructive surgery

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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15 pages, 922 KB  
Case Report
Three-Dimensional Stereophotogrammetric Evaluation of Facial Aesthetic Changes Following Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer—Report of Two Cases
by Anna Schiavelli, Romeo Patini, Davide Guerrieri, Carlo Lajolo, Carmen Chiara Nacca, Cosimo Rupe, Edoardo Staderini and Gioele Gioco
Oral 2026, 6(2), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/oral6020043 - 10 Apr 2026
Viewed by 532
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to describe and quantify facial soft tissue changes in two patients who underwent radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancers, using three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry and surface deviation analysis. The aims were (i) to assess the progression of morphological alterations [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study aimed to describe and quantify facial soft tissue changes in two patients who underwent radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancers, using three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry and surface deviation analysis. The aims were (i) to assess the progression of morphological alterations over time (ii) and to evaluate the clinical potential of 3D surface mapping in documenting RT-related aesthetic changes. Methods: Two patients with head and neck cancer undergoing RT were analyzed using three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry (3dMD Trio-system, Atlanta, GA, USA) at three timepoints: before RT (T0), 45 days after the start of RT (T1), and 6 months after the start of RT (T2). Facial 3D scans were processed using Geomagic Control 2014 software (v.3D Systems, Morrisville, NC, USA) to perform standardized alignments and calculate volumetric deviations, create colorimetric deviation maps, and conduct Root Mean Square (RMS) analysis. Results: Between T0 and T1, both patients showed soft tissue volume reduction, primarily in the mandibular and submental regions, likely reflecting acute treatment effects and weight loss. Between T0 and T2, an increase in soft tissue volume was observed, especially in the lower face and neck, consistent with late radiation effects such as lymphedema and post-treatment weight gain. RMS values ranged from 5.53 mm to 6.87 mm across patients and time points, indicating measurable morphological changes. The upper third of the face remained stable and served as a reliable reference region for alignment. Conclusions: RT may be associated with significant, region-specific changes in facial and cervical soft tissues in HNC patients, but these preliminary observations must always be correlated with weight loss and confirmed by further studies. 3D stereophotogrammetry is a reliable, non-invasive method for detecting and quantifying these alterations over time. This technique can offer valuable insights for clinical monitoring and could promote better patient counseling and potentially mitigate the psychological burden associated with facial changes. Full article
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