The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is a non-profit alliance consisting of over thirty renowned cancer centers in the United States. Its primary aim is to provide clinicians and patients with the latest and most comprehensive information on cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care. As a global leader in cancer research, the NCCN regularly releases updated clinical practice guidelines for various types of cancers, setting the gold standard for clinical cancer management. The latest edition, the "2023 NCCN clinical practice guidelines for head and neck cancers (1st edition)" has been published, focusing on updates in surgical approaches, postoperative adjuvant therapy selection, targeted therapies, radiation strategies, and more compared to the 2022 2nd edition. This article will provide a detailed interpretation of the updates in the new edition′s guidelines