About the Authors

Annalisa Trama

Roles Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Project administration, Writing – original draft

Annalisa.trama@istitutotumori.mi.it

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Evaluative Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy

Lisa Licitra

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliations Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milano, Italy, Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Stefano Cavalieri

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliations Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milano, Italy, Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

Simone Bonfarnuzzo

Roles Conceptualization, Project administration, Software, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Data Science Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy

Paolo Baili

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Data Science Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy

Antonio Ciarfella

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Milano, Italy

Pablo Parente

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Otorhinolaryngologyand Head and Neck Surgery, La Corunna University Hospital, Corunna, Spain

Giovanni Almadori

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Head-Neck Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy

Mohssen Ansarin

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Head and Neck Program and Division of Otolaryngology Head &Nech Surgery, European Institue of Oncology, Milan, Italy

Almalina Bacigalupo

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Radioterapia Oncologica, IRCCS-AOU Ospedale Policlinico San Martino – IST, Genoa, Italy

Philipp Baumeister

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany

Bertrand Baujat

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck surgery Department, APHP/Sorbonne Université, Hospital Tenon, Paris, France

Paolo Bossi

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialities, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, ASST Ospedali Civili, Brescia, Italy

Elisa Cavalera

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department Oncological Radiotherapy, "Vito Fazzi" Hospital, Lecce, Italy

Maria Cecilia Cercato

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Epidemiology and Cancer Registry Unit – IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy

Francois Dieleman

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, UMC Utrecht Centre of Expertise for Head and Neck Cancer, UMC Utrecht Cancer Centre, Utrecht, the Netherlands

Nicolas Fakhry

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Head and Neck Surgery, La Conception University Hospital, AP-HM, Aix Marseille University, Marseilles, France

Virginia Ferraresi

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Sarcoma and Rare Tumours Departmental Unit-IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute-Rome, Rome, Italy

Francesca Gaino

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliations Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (MI), Italy, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano (MI), Italy

Danilo Galizia

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Istituto di Candiolo, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo (TO), Italy

Jana Halamkova

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliations Department of Comprehensive Cancer Care, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute, Brno, Czech Republic, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Comprehensive Cancer Care, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

Elina Halme

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

Jose Hardillo

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of otorhinolaryngology - Head and neck surgery, Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Benedikt Hofauer

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Comprehensive Cancer Centre Munich, Munich, Germany

Emma Kinloch

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Salivary Gland Cancer UK, International House, London, United Kingdom

Lorenzo Livi

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Oncological Radiotherapy, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, Italy

Laura Deborah Locati

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Medical Oncology of Head and Neck Tumours, ICS Maugeri SpA SB - IRCCS, Pavia, Italy

Stefan Mattheis

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Essen Univerity Hospital, Essen, Germany

Giuseppe Mercante

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliations Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (MI), Italy, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano (MI), Italy

Aurora Mirabile

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele, Milan, Italy

Gabriele Molteni

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital, Verona, Italy

Ester Orlandi

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Clinical Department, Radiotherapy Unit, National Centre for Oncological Hadrontherapy (Fondazione CNAO), Pavia, Italy

Roberto Persio

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Italian Association of Laryngectomees, Milan, Italy

Stefania Sciallero

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Medical Oncology Unit 1, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy

Ludi Smeele

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Head and Neck surgery, Surgical Oncology Division, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Marta Tagliabue

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliations Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

Valentino Valentini

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Unit of Surgical Oncology, Maxillo Facial Reconstruction, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy

Carla Van Harpen

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Centre, HB Nijmegen (HP 455), Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Christoph Benedikt Westphalen

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Comprehensive Cancer Centre Munich & Department of Medicine III, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany

Laura Botta

Roles Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Evaluative Epidemiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy

Competing Interests

Paolo Bossi was part of the Advisory board or conference honoraria for: Merck, Sanofi-Regeneron, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Sun Pharma, Angelini, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Nestlè Christoph Benedikt Westphalen received honoraria from Bayer, Celgene, Ipsen, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Servier, and Taiho, served in a consulting/advisory role for BMS, Celgene, Merck, Shire/Baxalta, Rafael Pharmaceuticals, RedHill BioPharma, and F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, has received travel/accommodation expenses from Bayer, Celgene, RedHill BioPharma, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Servier, and Taiho and has received research funding from F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Lisa Licitra participated to clinical studies that received research funding intended directly to Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori from Astrazeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene International, Eisai, Exelixis, Debiopharm International SA, Hoffmann – La Roche ltd, IRX Therapeutics, Medpace, Merck-Serono, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Buran. Also, she declares that she recived occasional payment for her participation as a speaker at conferences/congresses or as a scientific consultant for advisory boards from Astrazeneca, Bayer, MSD, Merck-Serono, AccMed, Neutron Therapeutics, Inc All the other authors declare that they have no competing interests. I confirm that this does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.