Emerging Technologies in Markets for the Early Detection of Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the most common types of cancers accounting for 5% of total cancer cases worldwide. The proportion of HNC among malignancies is of much higher prominence in some world regions (e.g., up to 30% in Indo-Asia) as 70% of these cancers are induced by lifestyle habits. Risk factors have been identified such as alcohol, tobacco, smoking, and viral infections (e.g., HPV and EBV). While HNC is often curable when detected early, most patients present with late-stage cancer with regional nodal metastases, and up to 10% of them have distal metastases at the time of the first diagnosis. To date, no national screening programs for HNC have been implemented in the general population nor in high-risk groups. Timely and ultra-sensitive detection is also essential in patients with late-stage HNC to monitor disease recurrence and to assure locoregional control with an overall survival benefit. This chapter provides an overview of technologies that, along with appropriate biomarkers, are poised to revolutionize the early detection of HNC in the coming years.