ABSTRACT
Head and neck cancer includes epithelial malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract [UADT], including the paranasal sinuses, nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx; and, as the sixth most common cancer worldwide, head and neck cancer represents about 6% of solid tumors. Advances in surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy have improved locoregional control, survival, and quality of life. The outcomes of these treatment modalities have shifted the focus of curative efforts from radical ablation to preservation and restoration of function. This evolution has been documented in the pages of Cancer for the past 6 decades. The median age of diagnosis is in the sixth decade of life, and there is a large male-to-female predominance. Although there has been a slight decrease in overall incidence of head and neck cancer over the past two decades, an increase in base of tongue and tonsillar cancer recently has been observed