The Cancer Symposium: a focus on cancers of the head and neck

The word ‘cancer' is arguably the most feared word in the English language. Most of us are very uncomfortable discussing it with others especially with our friends and loved ones. Despite the negativity that surrounds the ‘c' word it is not something we can deny or shy away from. The reality is that there has been an increase in the number of reported cancer cases in the UK. A staggering 10,825 new cases were diagnosed in 2024 which is an increase of 38% over the last ten years. Even worse, over the last 20 years there has been an increase of 133% of reported cases.1,2

Looking at some interesting facts from the State of Mouth Cancer Report released in 2024, an estimated 68% of oral cancer cases were diagnosed in men. Oral cancers are also more commonly found in those over the age of 60 (estimated 64% of cases).3 The most common risk factors are alcohol consumption and tobacco use (identified in approximately 75% of diagnosed cases). Cigarette smoking and tobacco using individuals have a ten times higher risk of developing oral cancer compared to those that do not smoke or use tobacco. This risk is even higher with concurrent alcohol use. The human papillomavirus (HPV) type-16 and 18 are other recognised risk factors for certain types of head and neck cancers. These viruses played a major role in an estimated three out of four (73%) oropharyngeal cancers and approximately a tenth (12%) of cancers of the oral cavity and hypopharynx.4,5