Treatment of head and neck cancer using electromagnetic methods

Objective. To systematically review the mechanisms of action, clinical data, technical characteristics and prospects of electromagnetic methods in the treatment of malignant neoplasms of the head and neck. Material and Methods. A review of publications from 2014 to 2024 was conducted, covering radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, hyperthermia, electrochemotherapy, Tumour Treating Fields, photodynamic therapy and irreversible electroporation in head and neck oncology.
Results. Radiofrequency ablation has the most extensive evidence base for this localization, particularly for thyroid and parathyroid gland tumors, metastatic cervical lymph nodes, and recurrent tumors. Microwave ablation demonstrates comparable efficacy with faster generation and larger ablation zones. Electrochemotherapy shows high efficacy for superficial and accessible tumors with an excellent tolerability profile. The combination of local physical methods with modern immunotherapy represents a promising direction.
Conclusion. Electromagnetic methods occupy an important place in the oncological arsenal for head and neck tumors, enabling organ function preservation and improved quality of life, particularly in recurrent, locally advanced, and unresectable cases. Further development of the field is linked to the integration of nanomedicine, artificial intelligence, and personalized planning based on computational modeling. This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (grant no. FSFZ-2026-0007).
Ключевые слова: опухоли головы и шеи, электромагнитное воздействие, радиочастотная аблация, микроволновая аблация, гипертермия, электрохимиотерапия, TTFields, фотодинамическая терапия, необратимая электропорация
Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Funding. The work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (grant No. FSFZ-2026-0007).