University of California - San Diego Nov 22 2024 Head and neck cancers are the seventh most common type of cancer worldwide, according to the 2020 World Cancer Report. Smokers and drinkers, as well as those with HPV infections, are disproportionately affected. The chemotherapy drug cisplatin, when administered alongside radiation therapy, is the gold standard for treating these malignancies. However, more than 30% of patients, including some older adults and those with pre-existing kidney