Editorial Referateband 2018

Prof. Dr. med. Barbara Wollenberg

Dear Colleagues,

it is my great pleasure to present this volume on the occasion of the 89^th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head & Neck Surgery. In accordance with the conference motto “Research today – future tomorrow” some topics that will have the potential to fundamentally change healthcare of our patients in the next years will be presented.

The contributions arise from various disciplines and bridge basic sciences with clinical implementation in many areas.

Despite the extension of surgery, supported by diverse reconstructive procedures as well as the extension of radiotherapeutic measures, the prognosis and survival rate of patients with advanced stages of head and neck cancer remains poor. New developments in the field of oncology deal with characterization of HPV induced cancers, a “second entity of head and neck cancer”, as the molecular, biological, and immunological features and thus most probably also with regard to future therapeutic measures are very different. Here, the highly topical field of immunotherapy develops at the right time. Due to a multitude of antibodies that are currently in the transition from development into clinical routine, it is possible to activate cells of the endogenous immune response against cancer cells. The current clinical data reveal a significant benefit regarding the survival of certain patient subgroups. Further, diagnostic procedures in oncology develop. In a less invasive way, based on “big data”, reliable prognostic indicators are differentiated by means of imaging that help supporting clinically suspicious factors. The combination of imaging and technique also plays a crucial role in robot-assisted surgery. Current systems, advantages but also limitations will be comprehensively described.

At the interface of oncology and rhinology is the microbiome. For the past few years it has been obvious that the human body is colonized by more bacteria than endogenous cells exist. The influence of those bacteria on relevant inflammation-related diseases such as cancer or rhinological diseases is now entering an important phase of research. The treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis changes from surgical procedures to antibody-based therapy, repetitively a kind of immunotherapy. In accordance with a so-called inflammation endotyping, different individualized antibody therapies will develop.

Important steps are currently taken regarding the research and understanding of the molecular hearing process. These findings will substantially modify the healthcare of patients with hearing loss in the context of prevention, diagnostics, and surgery.

Regenerative medicine will play a key role for the future of Otorhinolaryngology; due to innovative approaches, first applicable options are implemented in clinical routine.

The large variety of the innovative research approaches summarized here shows the great need for development but also the chances for Otorhinolaryngology. May the articles presented in this volume be a cornerstone of this fascinating research that will move our discipline forward into the future.

Enjoy reading the contributions to the leading topic of “Research today – future tomorrow”.

Prof. Dr. med. Barbara Wollenberg
President of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology,
Head & Neck Surgery
2017/2018

Korrespondenzadresse

Prof. Dr. med. Barbara Wollenberg

Univ. HNO-Klinik

Ratzeburger Allee 160

D-23538 Lübeck

Phone: + 49/451 500 42001   

Fax: + 49/451 500 42004