Current trends in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck remain frequent in France with an evolving epidemiology. Progress was observed both in diagnostic and treatments. Increasing possibilities of curative treatment should be provided within next years through surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and target therapies as well as high performance imaging modalities and molecular biology and tumoral markers. Surgical techniques have improved function preservation while non surgical means have increased efficacy through chemo-radiotherapy. Assessment of optimal sequential therapeutic strategies is required, including both oncologic efficacy and quality of life.