Quantitative diffusion magnetic resonance imaging in head and neck tumors

Worldwide, head and neck malignancies account for approximately 4% of the cancer patients, with 550,000 new cases and 380,000 deaths annually, making HNT the sixth most common cancer, globally (1,2). In 2016, the global 5-year prevalence rates for cancers of lip and oral cavity, nasopharynx, larynx, and other pharynx were 13.5, 4.4, 8.5, and 6.0 per 100,000, respectively (3). Notably, the highest age-standardized incidence rate for nasopharyngeal HNT are reported in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in Indonesia, Micronesia and Eastern Asia, especially Southern China (3). Greater than 90% of HNT are squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) followed by lymphomas (4). While radiation therapy and surgical resection can achieve favorable results for early stage head and neck SCC, the odds are less favorable for advanced stages