Toward the Future of Head and Neck Cancer Care: Surgical Innovations and Novel Therapeutic Strategies.

Head and neck cancer surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with resectable disease. However, optimal outcomes increasingly depend on close integration with medical oncology, radiation oncology, diagnostic imaging, pathology, reconstructive surgery, and supportive care. Over the past decade, significant advances in surgical techniques, perioperative management, reconstructive strategies, systemic therapies, and personalized treatment approaches have substantially improved the management of these complex malignancies. Despite this progress, important challenges remain in optimizing patient selection, tailoring multimodal treatment strategies, preserving function, and improving long-term oncological and quality-of-life outcomes. This Research Topic aims to provide an updated overview of current advances and emerging challenges in the surgical and multidisciplinary management of head and neck cancer. We welcome contributions addressing innovations in surgical techniques, technological support for surgical planning and intraoperative decision-making, advances in multimodal treatment strategies, and translational research that can improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Particular emphasis will be placed on multidisciplinary approaches that bridge surgical and oncological disciplines, optimizing treatment planning, personalizing therapeutic strategies, and enhancing oncological, functional, and patient-reported outcomes throughout the continuum of care.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:• Innovative surgical techniques, including minimally invasive, endoscopic, robotic, and image-guided surgery;• Surgical planning using three-dimensional reconstruction, virtual surgical planning, augmented reality, and intraoperative navigation;• Reconstructive techniques and perioperative optimization;• Multidisciplinary treatment strategies integrating surgery with radiotherapy, systemic therapies, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies;• Neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment approaches and their impact on surgical decision-making, pathological response, and patient outcomes;• Imaging, molecular biomarkers, liquid biopsy, and artificial intelligence to improve diagnosis, prognostic stratification, treatment selection, surgical planning, and follow-up;• Cervical lymph node management and treatment strategies for locally advanced and recurrent disease;• Functional outcomes, quality of life, rehabilitation, complications, and survivorship after treatment;• Translational and clinical research supporting personalized management of head and neck malignancies.We welcome original research articles, clinical studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, technical notes, expert reviews, and high-quality clinical series that contribute to improving the surgical and multidisciplinary management of head and neck cancer. Contributions that foster collaboration among surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and other specialists involved in the care of patients with head and neck malignancies are particularly encouraged.Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analyses of publicly available genomic or transcriptomic datasets without independent clinical or biological validation are outside the scope of this Research Topic. Topic editors: Salvatore Crimi, Giovanni Salzano, Giulia Togo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/75524/toward-the-future-of-head-and-neck-cancer-care-surgical-innovations-and-novel-therapeutic-strategies