Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

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.

Developments and future prospects of personalized medicine in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma diagnoses and treatments

“…Cancers which occur in the squamous cells, lining mucosal surfaces of the head and neck are collectively known as head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) 1 . HNSCC includes malignancies that affect the salivary glands, nasal and oral cavities, larynx, pharynx, hypopharynx, and paranasal sinuses, thus cancers that arise in the eyes, esophagus, brain, and thyroid glands, and the skin of the head and neck region are excluded as HNSCC 2,3 . According to the most recent Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) data published in 2020, stated HNSCC is the seventh among the highest prevalent cancers worldwide, which amounts to about 890 000 (∼4.5%) expected new cases and 450 000 (∼4.6%) deaths per annum 4 .…”

Comparison of semi-automatic and manual segmentation methods for tumor delineation on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) positron emission tomography (PET) images

“…Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a common type of cancer arising at multiple sites within the head and neck region, and about 90% of HNCs are squamous cell carcinomas (Sekine et al 2017, Gormley et al 2022. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the seventh most common cancer globally, accounts for 890 000 new cases and 450 000 deaths annually (Barsouk et al 2023). It is often curable if diagnosed at an early stage with a 5 year overall survival rate over 90% and below 50% for late stage diagnosis (Mavuduru et al 2020, FH et al 2021.…”

Evaluation of multi-modal image segmentation for radiotherapy planning

“…Head and neck (H&N) cancers is the fifth most prevalent cancer type globally by incidence rate [1][2][3] . Treatment for these tumors requires a precision-based approach, inclusive of image-guided radiation therapy 1,4 .…”