title: Head and Neck Cancer.
abstract: Despite a considerable expansion in our therapeutic repertoire for management of other malignancies, mortality from head and neck cancer (HNC) has not significantly improved in recent decades. Upon normalizing National Institutes of Health-awarded R01 and R01-equivalent grants by incidence, thyroid cancer ($214) and HNC ($1329) received the fewest funding dollars. Upon adjusting funding totals by mortality, HNC was 7th out of 9 cancers evaluated ($6138). These findings highlight HNC as an underfunded disease versus other cancers. As data detailing grant applications (including unsuccessful grants) are not publicly available, it is not clear if these disparities stem from fewer applications or fewer opportunities. Our hope is that this commentary will spur further investigation into strategies to increase HNC inquiry and funding for trainees as well as early-stage and established investigators.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Peter F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Svider
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blasco
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: S Naweed
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Raza
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|3 Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shkoukani
authors.affiliation: 2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|4 Department of Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sukari
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: George H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Folbe
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|3 Section of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Ho-Sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|2 Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|5 Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.|6 Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fribley
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics*; D005378:Financial Support; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: National Institutes of Health; head and neck cancer; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma