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This review summarizes circulating elements—tumor cells, tumor DNA, tumor RNA, proteins, and exosomes—and highlights African 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Temilola 1, *, Henry Ademola Adeola 2,3, Johan Grobbelaar 4 and Manogari Chetty 1  \nCitation: Temilola, D.O.; Adeola, H.A.; Grobbelaar, J.; Chetty, M. Liquid Biopsy in Head and Neck Cancer: Its Present State and Future Role in Africa. Cells 2023, 12, 2663 . [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)cells12222663  \nReceived: 10 October 2023  \nRevised: 12 November 2023  \nAccepted: 17 November 2023  \nPublished: 20 November 2023  \nCopyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) .  \n1 Department of Craniofacial Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; [mchetty@uwc.ac.za](mchetty@uwc.ac.za)  \n2 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Western Cape, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; [henry.adeola@uct.ac.za](henry.adeola@uct.ac.za)  \n3 Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa  \n4 Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; [jgrobbelaar@sun.ac.za](jgrobbelaar@sun.ac.za)  \n* Correspondence: [dtemilola@uwc.ac.za](dtemilola@uwc.ac.za); Tel.: +27-219373112  \nAbstract: The rising mortality and morbidity rate of head and neck cancer (HNC) in Africa has been attributed to factors such as the poor state of health infrastructures, genetics, and late presentation resulting in the delayed diagnosis of these tumors. If well harnessed, emerging molecular and omics diagnostic technologies such as liquid biopsy can potentially play a major role in optimizing the management of HNC in Africa. However, to successfully apply liquid biopsy technology in the management of HNC in Africa, factors such as genetic, socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural acceptability of the technology must be given due consideration. This review outlines the role of circulating molecules such as tumor cells, tumor DNA, tumor RNA, proteins, and exosomes, in liquid biopsy technology for the management of HNC with a focus on studies conducted in Africa. The present state and the potential opportunities for the future use of liquid biopsy technology in the effective management of HNC in resource-limited settings such as Africa is further discussed.  \nKeywords: Africa; liquid biopsy; head and neck cancer; circulating tumor cells; cell-free DNA; exosomes  \n1. Introduction  \nAccording to the latest GLOBOCAN data, head and neck cancer (HNC) is the seventh most common cancer worldwide [1] . Globally, HNC accounts for 4.6% of all cancer diagnoses [2] . Africa and other low-middle income countries have the highest incidence and mortality rate due to HNC [1] . Although HNCs generally have a poor prognosis globally, with a 5-year survival rate ranging between 30% and 70%, depending on tumor location and stage [3], they have been found to have a lower 5-year survival rate of around 30% in patients of African ancestry as compared to an average 5-year survival rate of 57% in Caucasians [4–6] .  \nHNC, as a collective, comprises usually squamous cell carcinomas that have their origin in the epithelial surfaces of the oral cavity, the oropharynx, the nasopharynx, hypopharynx, and the larynx [7] . Less frequently HNC can also arise in the major or minor salivary glands, the sinuses, and the muscles or nerves of the head and neck [8] .  \nThe second most co","cbCaihMpYo3IsnRS","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaihMpYo3IsnRS","pdf",714034,21,"English","# Abstract\n# Keywords\n# Introduction\n## Epidemiology and burden in Africa\n## Definitions and scope of head and neck cancer\n## Under-reporting and barriers to early diagnosis\n## Etiology and incidence trends in Southern and Eastern Africa","[{\"question\":\"Why is head and neck cancer often diagnosed late in Africa?\",\"answer\":\"Late presentation is associated with poor health infrastructure, limited access to healthcare and finances, under-reporting due to lack of registries and control programmes, and lower educational levels along with existing religious and cultural beliefs.\"},{\"question\":\"What makes liquid biopsy promising for head and neck cancer management in Africa?\",\"answer\":\"Emerging molecular and omics diagnostic technologies, including liquid biopsy, may help optimize management, particularly when circulating tumor-related molecules are used for diagnosis and monitoring.\"},{\"question\":\"Which circulating components are covered in the review on liquid biopsy for head and neck cancer?\",\"answer\":\"The review focuses on circulating tumor cells, tumor DNA, tumor RNA, proteins, and exosomes, with emphasis on studies conducted in Africa.\"}]","Liquid Biopsy in Head and Neck Cancer: Its Present State and Future Role in Africa | PDF",1790273987,53]