What causes head and neck cancer?
-Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor.
-Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer.
Head and neck cancer risk factors
-The most important risk factors for head and neck cancers are alcohol and tobacco use (including use of smokeless tobacco).
-At least 75% of head and neck cancers are caused by tobacco and alcohol use
-People who use both tobacco and alcohol are at greater risk of developing these cancers than people who use either tobacco or alcohol alone.
Risk factors for oral cavity cancer
-Smoking and chewing tobacco
-Heavy alcohol use
-Chewing betel quid (Paan)
-Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds) over long periods of time
-Being infected with human papillomavirus (HPV)
-Being male
-Poor oral hygiene and missing teeth
-Use of mouthwash that has a high alcohol content is a possible, but not proven, risk factor
Risk factors for pharyngeal cancer
-Smoking and chewing tobacco
-Heavy alcohol use
-Chewing betel quid (Paan)
-Being infected with human papillomavirus
-Epstein-Barr virus infection
-Occupational exposure to wood dust
-Consumption of certain preserved or salted foods during childhood
-A diet low in fruits and vegetables
Risk factors for laryngeal cancer
-Alcohol or tobacco use
-Certain industrial exposures, including exposures to asbestos and synthetic fibers
-People working in certain jobs in the construction, metal, textile, ceramic, logging and food industries may have an increased risk of cancer of the larynx
Risk factors for paranasal sinuses and nasal
cavity cancer
-Being exposed to certain workplace chemicals (wood or nickel dust or formaldehyde) or dust, such as those found in the following jobs:
.Furniture-making
.Sawmill work
.Woodworking (carpentry)
.Shoemaking
.Metal-plating
.Flour mill or bakery work
-Being infected with human papillomavirus (HPV)
-Being male and older than 40 years
-Smoking
Risk factors for salivary glands cancer
-Older age
-Treatment with radiation therapy to the head and neck
-Being exposed to certain substances at work
-Infection with Epstein-Barr virus
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