REVIEW   

Otorhinolaryngology 2023 December;73(4):185-92

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6302.23.02511-2

Copyright © 2023 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Precision medicine in head and neck cancer: from immunotherapy to microbiota, circulating DNA and robotic surgery

Gian M. PACE ^{1, 2}, Andrea COSTANTINO ^{1, 2}, Bianca M. FESTA ^{1, 2} ✉, Caterina GIANNITTO ^{1, 3}, Ciro FRANZESE ^{1, 4}, Giuseppe SPRIANO ^{1, 2}, Paolo BOSSI ^{1, 5}, Armando De VIRGILIO ^{1, 2}

¹ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy; ² Unit of Otorhinolaryngology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; ³ Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; ⁴ Unit of Radiotherapy, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; ⁵ IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

The concept of precision medicine aims to combine clinical practice with research data, in order to obtain the most effective and personalized treatment strategy for each individual patient. In the field of head and neck oncology, different advancements are profoundly transforming the care of cancer patients through precision medicine. In particular, four key areas are driving innovations in this “new” approach to head and neck cancer: immunotherapy (with a specific focus on checkpoint inhibitors), the role of microbiota, liquid biopsies and circulating DNA, as well as the integration of robotic surgery in daily practice. As research in these areas continues to evolve, the application of these innovations holds the promise of improving outcomes and Quality of Life for head and neck cancer patients, clearing the path for more tailored and efficient therapies.

KEY WORDS: Precision medicine; Immunotherapy; Microbiota; Cell-free nucleic acids