Personalized Medicine in Head and Neck Cancer: From Molecular Targets to Precision Therapeutics

Submission Deadline: 30 January 2027 View: 53 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editor(s)

Prof. Michał Gontarz

Email: michal.gontarz@uj.edu.pl

Affiliation: Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Cracow, Poland

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Research Interests: head and neck neoplasms, oral cancer, salivary gland neoplasms, cancer diagnosis, immunotherapy

Prof. Kamil Nelke

Email: kamil.nelke@gmail.com

Affiliation: Deparemnt of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, EMC Hospital, Wrocław, Poland

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Research Interests: head and neck tumors, oral cancer

Dr. Jakub Zwoliński

Email: jakub.zwolinski@nio.gov.pl

Affiliation: Head and Neck Cancer Department, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warszawa, Poland

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Research Interests: head and neck neoplasms, mouth neoplasms/oral cancer, surgical oncology, salivary gland neoplasms, neoplasm diagnosis, immunotherapy

Prof. Adam Michcik

Email: adammichcik@gumed.edu.pl

Affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

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Research Interests: oral cancer

Summary

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) represent a heterogeneous group of malignancies arising from the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses. Despite advances in multimodal treatment, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted agents, survival outcomes for locally advanced and recurrent disease remain suboptimal. The emergence of personalized medicine offers a transformative paradigm by integrating molecular profiling, genomic characterization, and biomarker-driven treatment selection into clinical practice. This Special Issue aims to bring together original research articles and reviews that explore the role of precision oncology in HNC management. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: identification of novel molecular targets and predictive biomarkers guiding treatment selection; genomic and transcriptomic profiling for patient stratification; mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance in targeted and immunotherapeutic agents; the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors and combination immunotherapy strategies in organ-preservation approaches; pharmacogenomic approaches to individualized treatment planning; cancer stem cell biology and its implications for treatment resistance and disease recurrence; non-coding RNAs and epigenetic regulators as diagnostic and therapeutic targets; liquid biopsy and circulating biomarkers for real-time disease monitoring; and innovative experimental models advancing precision therapeutics. By bridging translational research and clinical oncology, this Special Issue seeks to accelerate the development of evidence-based, individualized treatment strategies that improve outcomes for patients with head and neck cancer.

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