Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a group of malignancies, involving the oral cavity, pharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, nasal cavity, and salivary glands, that together compose the seventh most common cancer diagnosis worldwide. With 890,000 new cases and 450,000 deaths annually per GLOBO...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Medical Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/11/2/42 |
| _version_ | 1797593608462794752 |
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| author | Adam Barsouk John Sukumar Aluru Prashanth Rawla Kalyan Saginala Alexander Barsouk |
| author_facet | Adam Barsouk John Sukumar Aluru Prashanth Rawla Kalyan Saginala Alexander Barsouk |
| author_sort | Adam Barsouk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a group of malignancies, involving the oral cavity, pharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, nasal cavity, and salivary glands, that together compose the seventh most common cancer diagnosis worldwide. With 890,000 new cases and 450,000 deaths annually per GLOBOCAN estimates, HNSCC accounts for roughly 4.5% of cancer diagnoses and deaths. In the developing world, the incidence of HNSCC is growing with increasing consumption of tobacco (smoked or chewed), alcohol, and areca nut (betel quid). Alcohol and tobacco have a synergistic effect, with the heavy consumption of both increasing HNSCC risk 40-fold. In developed nations, HPV-related HNSCC surpasses tobacco- and alcohol-related disease. HPV-related HNSCC more commonly affects the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx than the oral cavity, and is associated with a significantly longer median survival (130 months vs. 20 months). Discrepancies in etiology as well as disparities in lifestyle choices and access to healthcare may account for the greater incidence and poorer survival of HNSCC among minority and lower-socioeconomic-status communities in developed nations. Pharmacotherapy and counseling together have been shown to be effective in promoting smoking and alcohol cessation. Education on cancer risk and community engagement have reduced areca nut consumption in Asia as well as in diaspora communities. HPV vaccination, starting at age 11–12 for both sexes, has been shown to reduce the prevalence of high-risk HPV serologies and prevent pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix, vagina, and vulva. As of 2020, 58.6% of eligible adolescents in the US have received the full two-vaccine series. Increased adoption of vaccination, education on safe sex practices, and routine visual oral screening for high-risk patients would curb growing HNSCC incidence in developed nations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:10:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c246424619f04de69bf892c67bc9de85 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3271 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:10:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medical Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-c246424619f04de69bf892c67bc9de852023-11-18T11:32:58ZengMDPI AGMedical Sciences2076-32712023-06-011124210.3390/medsci11020042Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaAdam Barsouk0John Sukumar Aluru1Prashanth Rawla2Kalyan Saginala3Alexander Barsouk4Internal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAElucid Bioimaging, Boston, MA 02216, USAParrish Medical Center, Titusville, FL 32796, USAPlains Regional Medical Group Internal Medicine, Clovis, NM 88101, USAHematologist-Oncologist, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USAHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a group of malignancies, involving the oral cavity, pharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, nasal cavity, and salivary glands, that together compose the seventh most common cancer diagnosis worldwide. With 890,000 new cases and 450,000 deaths annually per GLOBOCAN estimates, HNSCC accounts for roughly 4.5% of cancer diagnoses and deaths. In the developing world, the incidence of HNSCC is growing with increasing consumption of tobacco (smoked or chewed), alcohol, and areca nut (betel quid). Alcohol and tobacco have a synergistic effect, with the heavy consumption of both increasing HNSCC risk 40-fold. In developed nations, HPV-related HNSCC surpasses tobacco- and alcohol-related disease. HPV-related HNSCC more commonly affects the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx than the oral cavity, and is associated with a significantly longer median survival (130 months vs. 20 months). Discrepancies in etiology as well as disparities in lifestyle choices and access to healthcare may account for the greater incidence and poorer survival of HNSCC among minority and lower-socioeconomic-status communities in developed nations. Pharmacotherapy and counseling together have been shown to be effective in promoting smoking and alcohol cessation. Education on cancer risk and community engagement have reduced areca nut consumption in Asia as well as in diaspora communities. HPV vaccination, starting at age 11–12 for both sexes, has been shown to reduce the prevalence of high-risk HPV serologies and prevent pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix, vagina, and vulva. As of 2020, 58.6% of eligible adolescents in the US have received the full two-vaccine series. Increased adoption of vaccination, education on safe sex practices, and routine visual oral screening for high-risk patients would curb growing HNSCC incidence in developed nations.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/11/2/42head and neck cancerepidemiologyincidencemortalitypreventionrisk factors |
| spellingShingle | Adam Barsouk John Sukumar Aluru Prashanth Rawla Kalyan Saginala Alexander Barsouk Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Medical Sciences head and neck cancer epidemiology incidence mortality prevention risk factors |
| title | Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_full | Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_fullStr | Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_short | Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma |
| title_sort | epidemiology risk factors and prevention of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma |
| topic | head and neck cancer epidemiology incidence mortality prevention risk factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3271/11/2/42 |
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