Summary of Japanese clinical practice guidelines for head and neck cancer - 2025 update edited by the Japan Society for Head and Neck Cancer

Abstract

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Head and Neck Cancer – 2025 Edition were developed to provide clear evidence-based recommendations that reflect recent advancements and evolving clinical needs in head and neck cancer care. Advances in immunotherapy, targeted therapies, surgical techniques, and genomic medicine have expanded treatment options and added new complexities. This edition offers practical, up-to-date guidance to support consistent decision making across diverse clinical scenarios. Compared with the 2022 edition, the guidelines have been substantially expanded to 63 clinical questions (CQs) across 14 categories. A new feature is the inclusion of commentary columns that address clinically important topics not suited to the CQ format, such as special patient populations, novel therapies, and rare malignancies. To reflect the growing role of precision oncology, updated recommendations for molecular-targeted treatments have been added based on specific genomic alterations, in alignment with the current approvals in Japan. While maintaining the structure of previous editions, this edition addresses the changing clinical environment while also helping to inform future discussions and directions in head and neck cancer care.