Oral mucositis is a toxic side effect of non-surgical cancer treatments: chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which strongly impair quality of life and can not only cause strong pain, but also lead to problems with basic physiological needs as eating and swallowing. Development of oral mucositis is associated with type, dosage, and schedule of radiation or chemotherapy and other factors related to patients. Management of oral mucositis is a valid problem, requiring topical application of anesthetics, coating agents, cryotherapy, low level laser therapy, pharmacological methods as usage of keratinocyte growth factors, supplementation of vitamins, and a proper diet. Another approach to oral mucositis measurement includesphotobiomodulation, which brings analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.Although oral mucositis is a general health issues, the role of proper dental care is essential. It should include elimination of all potential sources of mucosal injury and microorganisms inhabiting theoral cavity through oral hygiene education, professional management ofdental plaque, and treatment of the caries and periodontium, which are necessary to reduce the risk of inflammation in the oral cavity. This paper describes the possibilities of monitoring oral mucositis, taking into account the latest therapeutic achievements.

Performing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) on head and neck cancer patients (HNCPs) requires robust training and experience. Thus, in 2011, the Head and Neck Cancer Working Group (HNCWG) of the Italian Association of Radiation Oncology (AIRO) organized a study group with the aim to run a literature review to outline clinical practice recommendations, to suggest technical solutions and to advise target volumes and doses selection for head and neck cancer IMRT. The main purpose was therefore to standardize the technical approach of radiation oncologists in this context. The following paper describes the results of this working group. Volumes, techniques/strategies and dosage were summarized for each head-and-neck site and subsite according to international guidelines or after reaching a consensus in case of weak literature evidence.

Loco-regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas can be cured by the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In Eastern countries, plasma levels of viral Epstein-Barr deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are accurate in predicting recurrence, but few data are available in Western populations. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the relationship between viral Epstein-Barr DNA copy numbers in plasma and the response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival in a cohort of Western patients with stage IIb-IVb nasopharyngeal cancer.

More than 500,000 new cases of head and neck cancer (HNC) occur each year worldwide