Environmental Factors Identified in the Etiology of Oral Cancers in Taiwan

The impact of low-dose carcinogens and environmental disruptors on tissue invasion and metastasis

“…The significant increase in global industrialization and urbanization has changed the characteristics of our environment particularly over the past few decades and it is estimated that as many as two-thirds of all cancer cases are now linked to environmental causes (National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 2003). The IARC has identified intake of alcoholic beverages, betel quid chewing with tobacco and cigarette smoking as human carcinogens, with various target organs from the head and neck area, including the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and esophagus (374,(391)(392)(393)(394)(395)(396)(397)(398). Several chemicals have been recognized to increase human cancer risk in various subtypes of HNSCC, e.g.…”

“…Several chemicals have been recognized to increase human cancer risk in various subtypes of HNSCC, e.g. esophageal cancer (PAHs contamination of the food); oral cancer and esophageal cancer (exposure to heavy metals including arsenic, chromium, nickel and cadmium); oral, naso-and hypopharyngeal cancer (exposure to formaldehyde) (395,(399)(400)(401)(402)(403)(404)(405)(406)(407)(408)(409)(410)(411). It is also known that radium, via oral exposure, can cause bone, head and nasal passage tumors in humans reviewed by Brugge et al (412).…”