ENT cancers, more commonly known as head and neck cancers, are cancers that develop in one of the organs of the upper aerodigestive tract (VADS, i.e. located in the digestive and upper respiratory systems). They therefore include cancers of the mouth (including lips and tongue), nasopharynx (cavum), hypopharynx, salivary glands, and larynx (more commonly referred to as throat cancer).

A biomarker, also called in some cases genetic mutations, is a measurable biological characteristic that is linked to a normal or non-normal process. In oncology, among biomarkers, certain abnormalities (often mutations) at the level of a gene can predict the action of a targeted drug. This information can be found in the molecular biology report (or NGS) or a consultation report. For ENT cancers, the most common biomarkers are the p16 protein, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the HPV virus (human papilloma virus) and the TP53 gene.