This chapter discusses head and neck cancers, and covers the epidemiology and molecular biology of head and neck cancer. Head and neck cancer is a heterogeneous disease and most commonly caused by tobacco and alcohol use, as well as high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV-negative and -positive HNSCC are demographically, biologically and clinically distinct entities with more favourable outcomes associated with HPV-positive tumours of the oropharynx. Comprehensive genomic analyses show that more functional loss of tumour suppressors are present in HPV-negative tumours compared to HPV-positive tumours. Furthermore, HNSCC can be molecularly characterized into five subtypes. The challenges facing future investigations are efficient translation of these biological findings into clinically meaningful advancements in patient treatment.
Role of mucosal high-risk human papillomavirus types in head and neck cancers in Romania