Innovating Aerodigestive Squamous Cancer Therapies across Disease Sites

Aerodigestive squamous cell cancers, notably within the upper tracts of the head and neck (H&N), pose significant therapeutic challenges despite advancements in targeted therapies and immunotherapy. The prevailing use of decades-old platinum-based treatments in these cancers highlights an urgent need for next-generation therapeutic strategies. In contrast, significant progress has been made in treating squamous malignancies of the lower respiratory tract, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly with immune checkpoint inhibitors. These developments underscore a disparity in treatment success and highlight a potential for cross-applying advances between the upper and lower regions of the aerodigestive tract.
This Research Topic aims to pioneer a unified biological and anatomical view of the aerodigestive tract, transcending traditional clinical boundaries to integrate and leverage findings across different squamous cell cancers. By examining the latest preclinical mechanistic studies and clinical outcomes, the goal is to propose and refine new combination therapies—integrative approaches that encompass surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and advanced systemic immunotherapies.

To gather further insights into the converging biology of aerodigestive cancers, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Shared genetic markers and treatment resistance pathways in aerodigestive squamous cell malignancies.

- Linkages between benign chronic conditions (like COPD) and aerodigestive cancers.

- Targeted therapy opportunities specific to mutational drivers, tumor histology/phenotype, and molecular subtypes within aerodigestive cancers.

- Development and clinical application of molecular signatures and biomarkers across aerodigestive cancers.

- Integration of socioeconomic data and genomics in population-level studies to inform health policies aimed at reducing aerodigestive cancer risks in high-incidence populations.

This Research Topic welcomes submissions of original research, reviews, methods articles, and clinical trials. Please note the exclusion of manuscripts based solely on bioinformatics or computational predictions without empirical validation.

Please note: Submissions should contain empirical validation through independent clinical cohorts or in vivo/in vitro biological studies. Studies based solely on bioinformatic or computational analyses without such validations are not considered for publication in this Research Topic.