Critical Issues in Head and Neck Oncology

This is an open access book.

With a wealth of exciting data emerging in this rapidly evolving field this book will review the state-of-the-art knowledge with emphasis on multidisciplinary decision and management of head and neck cancer. The book provides significant detail on a wide range of topics including: the role of new targets for treatment, immunotherapy, resistance mechanisms, standardizing molecular profiling programs, and new methods to guide therapeutic approaches. In addition different disease situations are addressed including different treatment approaches in primary disease and in recurrent and/or metastatic disease as well as new developments in pathology, surgery and reconstruction techniques, new systemic therapies in salivary gland cancer, and supportive care and follow-up.


All disciplines involved in the treatment of head & neck cancer are covered with a focus on translation into daily practice. The 8th-THNO is designed for medical oncologists, head and neck surgeons, radiation oncologists, otolaryngologists, and other medical professionals involved in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.

“The authors advocate a need to increase the education and knowledge of physicians about the positive effects associated with correct nutritional interventions and physical exercise and to advise patients of this strategy benefit. This publication, like the previous volumes, is ‘essential reading’ for all professional staff of a head and neck cancer multidisciplinary team, as well as any “budding physicians” that aspire to join a head and neck cancer team.” (P J Bradley, The Journal of Laryngology & Otology, March 28, 2023)

Prof. Jan B. Vermorken, MD, PhD, started his medical training in 1961, graduated in 1970 from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and became a board-certified specialist in internal medicine in 1975. Since that time he has worked in the field of Medical Oncology and was officially registered as a Medical Oncologist in the Netherlands in 1992. He received his PhD in Medical Sciences in 1986 from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. From May 1997 until October 1, 2009, he was appointed Professor of Oncology at the University of Antwerp (UA), in Antwerp, Belgium and head of the Department of Medical Oncology at the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA), in Edegem, Belgium. After his retirement he remained connected to both University (Emeritus Professor) and University Hospital (consultant). His main fields of interest are head and neck oncology and gynecologic oncology. He chaired both the Head and Neck Cancer Group (2006-2009) and the Gynecologic Cancer Group (1983-1989) of theEuropean Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). He was founding chair of the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup (GCIG: 1997-2003) and strongly involved in establishing the Head and Neck Cancer International Group (HNCIG) in 2015.

Professor Vermorken is member of various scientific societies, member of several editorial boards of International journals, reviewer of multiple cancer journals and author or co-author of more than 700 publications. He was Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Oncology from 2009 to 2014 and is chief editor of the head and neck cancer section of The Oncologist (since 2003), and the head and neck section of Frontiers in Oncology (since 2015), is editorial chair of ONCOhemato (multidisciplinary journal; since 2007) in Belgium and chaired Oncotherapie (an internet platform) in The Netherlands (2007-2020). He received the ESMO award in 2007 and on March 1, 2013 he received the title of Commander in the Order of Leopold for his contributions to oncology.

Prof. Volker Budach, MD, is Head of the Departments of Radiation Oncology at the Charité University Medicine Berlin. He became a board-certified radiologist in 1985 and radiation oncologist in 1988 at the University of Essen and was appointed as full professor and chair of the Department for Radiation Oncology at the Charité University Clinics, Campus-Mitte in 1993. He was the founder and the head of the Tumor center Berlin (1994-2011). He was a board member and treasurer of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) from 1996 till 2004 and chairman of the EORTC Radiation Oncology Group (ROG) from 2000 till 2003, followed by an “executive board” membership of the EORTC and chairman of the "Clinical Research Division" of the EORTC (2003-2006). He was a board member and president of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) from 2005 till 2011. He was a founding member and chair of the German Cooperative Interdisciplinary soft tissue sarcoma group(IAWS)(2006-2012) and a founding and board member of the German Interdisciplinary Head and Neck Group (2008-2019) of the German Cancer Society (DKG). He was additionally appointed as chair of the Department for Radiation Oncology at the Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Campus-Virchow in 2006, and also appointed as chair of the department of Radiation Oncology at the Campus Benjamin-Franklin in 2014. He was a member of the German interdisciplinary Guideline Commissions on Diagnosis, Treatment and Follow-up for breast cancer (2015 until now) and anal cancer (2019-2020). He is a member of many international oncologic societies (e.g. ASCO, ASTRO, ESTRO) and Principle Investigator of several studies in head and neck cancer. He received in 2022 the ESTRO Lifetime Achievement Award and the DEGRO Medal as a founding member of the German Society for Radiation Oncology. He was an author or co-author in 396 publications (PubMed, 10/22).

Professor C. René Leemans, MD, PhD is chair ofthe Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at the Amsterdam University Medical Centres, VUmc, Amsterdam. He is Director of the Advanced Fellowship Program in Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology at the VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam. His special interests include head and neck oncology, reconstructive and microvascular surgery, and basic research. René Leemans has made a sustained and internationally recognized contribution to cancer care and research in the field of head and neck oncology over the past decades. His scientific standing has been recognized by election as President of the Netherlands Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the Dutch and European Head and Neck Societies. He also serves on the Leadership of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS). He (co-)authored more than 400 papers and book chapters on head and neck oncology and is regularly invited to speak at international conferences and tutor at courses. He leads the successful MakeSense Awareness Campaign.

Professor Jean-Pascal Machiels MD, PhD, is head of department of medical oncology and director of the Institut Roi Albert II Cancer centre, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels Belgium. He trained at Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, where he gained his MD in 1993 and his PhD in 2001 and at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore USA, where he was a Fellow in Medical Oncology from 1998 until 2000. His main interests include Head and Neck cancer, and phase 1 clinical trials. He has published more than two hundred papers reporting on clinical trials and translational research

Professor Piero Nicolai, MD, is Head of the Section of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Neurosciences, at the Azienda Ospedale Università di Padova and Professsor of Otorhinolaryngology at the University of Padova. From 2006 to 2019 he has served as Professor and Chairmanof the Unit of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at ASST Spedali Civili Brescia - University of Brescia. He received his MD degree at the University of Padova, where he completed his residency program in Otorhinolaryngology and subsequently in Oncology. His clinical and research activities are mainly focused on head and neck oncology and endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. Prof. Nicolai has authored or co-authored 389 papers in peer-reviewed journals as well as 61 book chapters. He has been co-editor of 6 books, and Editor of 6 issues of Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery on Head and Neck Oncology. He is a member of the editorial board of the journals Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, Head and Neck, International Journal of Head & Neck Surgery, The Laryngoscope, and Associate Editor of Frontiers in Oncology – Head and Neck Cancer Section.

Professor Brian O’Sullivan, MD, is the inaugural Bartley-Smith/Wharton Chair (Emeritus) inRadiation Oncology and immediate past Chair of the Head and Neck Program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto. He has Co-chaired the Head and Neck Steering committee of the US National Cancer Institute and is Editor-in Chief of the UICC Manual of Clinical Oncology, Chair of the UICC Prognostic Factors Classification Committee, Chair of the UICC Head and Neck Committee, and co-editor of the UICC TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours and Liaison to the AJCC Expert Committee on Head and Neck Cancer. He is also a recognized expert in the management of sarcoma and a past-President of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS). He has published more than 700 manuscripts more than 460 of which are peer-reviewed. Professor O’Sullivan has received some of the top awards in radiation oncology including the Juan A del Regato Gold Medal, the award of Honor of the Radiological Society of North America, and the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Gold Medal.