Evidence mapPaperPMID 40870948Full record

ReviewDiagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Targeted Screening Strategies for Head and Neck Cancer: A Global Review of Evidence, Technologies, and Cost-Effectiveness.

Orlando Guntinas-Lichius, Claudio Bücking, Sweet Ping Ng, Fernando López, Juan Pablo Rodrigo, Karthik N Rao, Andrés Coca Pelaz, Luiz P Kowalski, Cesare Piazza, Alessandra Rinaldo and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Orlando Guntinas-LichiusDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9671-0784
Claudio BückingDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany.
Sweet Ping NgDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia.
Fernando LópezDepartment of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), The University Institute of Oncology of Asturias-Cajastur Social Programme (IUOPA), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
Juan Pablo RodrigoDepartment of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), The University Institute of Oncology of Asturias-Cajastur Social Programme (IUOPA), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 33011 Oviedo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-3063-0890
Karthik N RaoDepartment of Head and Neck Oncology, Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation, Bangalore 560004, India.ORCID 0000-0002-1420-7366
Andrés Coca PelazDepartment of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, University of Oviedo, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), The University Institute of Oncology of Asturias-Cajastur Social Programme (IUOPA), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), 33011 Oviedo, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-1363-8559
Luiz P KowalskiHead and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology Department, A C Camargo Cancer Center, Sao Paulo 01509-900, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-0481-156X
Cesare PiazzaUnit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Department of Surgical and Medical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
Alessandra RinaldoENT Unit, Policlinico Città di Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7956-6709
Alfio FerlitoCoordinator of the International Head and Neck Scientific Group, 35100 Padua, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-8247-8002

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, with rising incidence particularly in oropharyngeal cancer subsites. Despite well-known risk factors, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption as well as human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, most HNCs are diagnosed at an advanced stage, resulting in poor prognosis. Early detection and screening are critical, especially in high-risk populations. Nevertheless, there is a lack of guidelines for a stratified HNC screening. A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, using PubMed and ScienceDirect databases up to 30 June 2025. Search terms included "screening", "early diagnosis", and specific HNC subsites. A total of 199 records were screened, and 160 studies were included based on relevance and scientific rigor. The review concentrates on contemporary screening modalities, stratification of high-risk cohorts, emerging technologies, and cost-effectiveness evidence. Visual inspection and panendoscopy remain the standard tools for HNC screening, but have limited effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Opportunistic screening in high-risk individuals, especially in regions with high HNC prevalence, has shown benefits. Liquid biopsy techniques targeting HPV- and Epstein-Barr virus-related HNC demonstrate high sensitivity for early detection and recurrence monitoring. Novel imaging technologies like narrow-band imaging and Raman spectroscopy show promising diagnostic accuracy but require further validation. Most broad-based screening programs lack cost-effectiveness, while targeted strategies in high-risk groups appear more viable. Screening for HNC should be stratified by individual risk profiles and regional disease prevalence. Emerging technologies, particularly liquid and optical biopsy techniques, offer transformative potential. Future screening strategies must integrate technological advances into tailored, evidence-based protocols to improve early detection and patient outcomes in HNC.

Indexed as

biophotonicscancer screeningcost-effectivenessearly detectionEpstein-Barr virus (EBV)head and neck cancerhigh-risk populationshuman papillomavirus (HPV)liquid biopsyopportunistic screening

Identifiers

PMID40870948
PMCPMC12385764

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.