Risks and causes of head and neck cancer

The cause of head and neck cancer in most people is still unknown, but research is going on all the time to learn more. There are a number of risk factors that can increase your chance of developing head and neck cancer. These are:

Age and sex

Like most types of cancer, head and neck cancers are more common in older people. It is unusual for people under 50 to get head and neck cancer. Cancers of the head and neck are more common in men than women.

Smoking and drinking alcohol

Squamous cell carcinomas are much more common in smokers and people who drink a lot of alcohol, particularly spirits, and even more common in people who do both.

Pipe smokers and people who hold cigarettes between their lips for long periods have a higher risk of cancers in the lip area.

Chewing tobacco or paan

People who chew tobacco or betel nuts and those who use paan have a higher risk of cancers in the oral cavity.

Sunlight

People who have long periods of exposure to the sun in their daily life have an increased risk of cancer of the lip and the skin of the head and neck area, especially the ear.

Diet

A poor diet that contains very little fresh fruit and vegetables may increase your risk of certain types of mouth cancer.

Exposure to chemicals

Breathing in certain chemicals and hardwood dusts (for example, in workplaces) increases the risk of cancers of the nose and sinuses.

Human papilloma virus

The human papilloma virus (HPV)| may increase your risk of mouth cancer or cancer of the oropharynx.

Pre-cancerous conditions

There are a number of precancerous conditions that can affect the head and neck, such as leukoplakia and erythroplakia, which can increase the risk of a cancer developing.

Inherited faulty genes

Most head and neck cancers are not caused by an inherited faulty gene, so members of your family are not likely to be at higher risk of developing head and neck cancer because you have it. If someone with head and neck cancer has a relative who also has cancer, this is more likely to be due to similar lifestyles and habits (such as smoking) than an inherited cancer risk.