What Causes Head and Neck Cancer?
The exact cause of head and neck cancer is not yet fully understood. Tumors develop for many reasons over time, and rarely because of just one factor.
What research does show is that several behaviors and exposures significantly increase risk. The good news is that most of these can be changed. Reducing your risk starts with understanding it.
Who Is at Higher Risk for Head and Neck Cancer?
Certain behaviors and exposures are consistently linked to higher risk. Risk factors include:
- Drinking alcohol, especially heavy drinking
- Smoking tobacco, marijuana, or vaping
- Exposure to and contraction of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Prior radiation therapy to the head and neck
- Exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus
- Exposure to industrial chemicals (these are common in shoemaking, carpentry, furniture construction, metal-plating)
How to Lower Your Head and Neck Cancer Risk
The most effective steps you can take to reduce your risk are straightforward:
- Get vaccinated against HPV
- Stop or significantly reduce alcohol consumption
- Quit smoking and vaping
The most powerful tool for preventing HPV-related head and neck cancer is also one of the simplest: vaccination. Many cases of head and neck cancer begin with HPV exposure. The vaccine stops that from ever happening.
1. The HPV vaccine prevents cancer
HPV is linked to several cancers beyond head and neck, including cervical, penile, and anal cancers. The HPV vaccine provides protection against all of them.
The CDC recommends the vaccine series beginning at ages 11 or 12 because this is before potential exposure. This step protects children from HPV-related cancers for life. This is one of the most effective cancer prevention tools available.
Adults who were not vaccinated as children still have options. The FDA has approved the HPV vaccine for adults up to age 45. Because older adults may already have been exposed to the virus, the protective benefit varies. Talk with your physician about whether the vaccine makes sense for you.
2. Reduce or eliminate alcohol
Recent research is clear: no amount of alcohol is entirely safe. Alcohol is linked to multiple health conditions, including many kinds of cancer, including head and neck cancers.
If reducing your cancer risk is a priority, stopping or significantly limiting alcohol is one of the most impactful steps you can take. Alcohol-free alternatives and mocktails are increasingly available and easy to enjoy socially.
3. Quit smoking and vaping
The link between smoking and cancer is well established. In fact, WashU Medicine physicians led this discovery in 1950. If you have tried to quit before without success, it may be that you didn’t have the right support. Siteman’s Smoking Cessation Program [LINK] is designed for exactly that moment.
We support patients in quitting both tobacco and vaping. SmokeFree.gov also offers free resources and coaching for wherever you are in the process.