What are the major contributing factors for head and neck cancers?

The major causes (etiologic factors) for head and neck cancers are tobacco and alcohol use, including cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, betel leaf, lime, catchu and areca nut, and marijuana.

Combining tobacco and alcohol use poses an even greater risk.

Learn how to kick the tobacco habit. Other causes include:

• Viruses (herpes simplex virus and the human papilloma viruses)
• Genetic predisposition (further study on this issue is being conducted)
• Occupation (workers in nickel refining and wood- and leather-working industries)
• Radiation exposure (radium watch dial painting and thorotrast ingestion)

A possible association is diet, particularly Vitamin A and beta-carotene deficiencies.