Oral Oncology 50 (2014) 325

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Oral Oncology

journal homepage: www.elsevier .com/locate /ora loncology

Editorial

Editorial for special issue on Nasopharynx cancer

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2014.03.0051368-8375/� 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Nasopharynx cancer represents a unique entity in multipleways; knowledge about its biology, etiology, epidemiology, detec-tion, management, and surveillance have been changing radicallyand rapidly in the last decade. Nasopharynx cancer remains oneof the highest incident malignancies in endemic areas of SoutheastAsia, Africa, and in immigrant populations from these geographies.The endemic form of nasopharynx cancer has a recognized viraletiology, Epstein-Barr Virus, and this has been utilized in planninghealth policy, early detection, treatment stratification, and as anidus to develop novel therapies. Development of treatmentfor nasopharynx cancer is one of the greatest success stories.Notwithstanding, management of nasopharynx cancer remains afine balance between attempts to cure the disease and avoidlong-term toxicity, which themselves can be devastating especiallygiven the younger age at presentation for many patients.

This issue of Oral Oncology begins a series of special articles onnasopharynx cancer that will encompass a systemic review of

etiological factors, DNA damage checkpoints, application ofcirculating plasma/serum EBV DNA in the clinical management,advances in diagnostic imaging, development of staging systemto maximize prognostic accuracy, current controversies in radio-therapy and chemotherapy, surgical salvage of recurrent disease,individualized decision for metastatic disease, current status of no-vel therapies, and translational research for potential new drugs.The special series will be published over the next six issues to givea comprehensive review of the standards of care as well as providethe reader with contemporary research and developments.

Ezra CohenUniversity of Chicago, IL, USA

Anne LeeUniversity of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital,

Shenzhen, China