Probably the most common cancers in the United States embrace breast, lung, colorectal and pores and skin (melanoma). Nonetheless, much less frequent cancers could be simply as critical. Head and neck cancers, for instance, account for nearly 4% of all cancers in the USA and have an effect on tens of hundreds of individuals worldwide.
Head and neck cancer refers to a gaggle of cancers that begin within the sinuses, nostril, mouth, throat, larynx, lips and salivary glands. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption and human papillomavirus (HPV) are among the many primary threat elements for head and neck cancers.
It’s additionally considerably extra frequent in males than ladies and in Black people than white folks. When caught early, many head and neck cancers are curable, however generally you’ll be able to prevent them within the first place.
Listed here are 7 methods to assist scale back your threat of head and neck cancers.
1. Don’t Smoke or Use Tobacco Merchandise
Utilizing tobacco merchandise, equivalent to cigarettes and chewing tobacco, can considerably improve your threat for head and neck cancers. In actual fact, smoking and utilizing tobacco is the biggest threat issue for this group of cancers. Up to 80% of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco use. Not solely do you have to quit smoking if you happen to do, it is best to cease use of all tobacco merchandise, together with cigars, pipes and snuffs.
Folks with a historical past of head and neck cancer also needs to keep away from publicity to secondhand smoke throughout remission. Some research suggests that secondhand smoke can have an effect on their recurrence and survival price.
2. Restrict Your Use of Alcohol
Like tobacco, alcohol could cause most cancers, and it’s a recognized threat issue for head and neck cancers. It’s additionally a significant risk factor for recurrence in survivors.
The risk increases the more you drink, so it’s doable to decrease your threat by quitting or ingesting moderately. That’s as much as one alcoholic drink per day for girls.
3. Get the HPV Vaccine
HPV is a typical viral an infection. It’s additionally a threat issue for varied cancers, together with head and neck cancers that begin behind the throat.
HPV vaccines can prevent oral HPV infections, which may scale back sure head and neck cancers, equivalent to throat and again of mouth cancers. Since HPV is likely one of the three main threat elements for head and neck cancers — together with tobacco and alcohol use — asking a healthcare skilled about vaccination in opposition to HPV may decrease your threat.
Watch: How to Talk to Your Healthcare Provider About Getting HPV Vaccine as an Adult >>
4. Follow Correct Solar Safety
Some cancers that happen on the top and neck begin on the lips. So an excessive amount of publicity to ultraviolet (UV) radiation may improve the chance of growing lip cancers on the top and neck. Some methods to lower the risk of head and neck cancers embrace making use of sunscreen to the lips, carrying wide-brimmed hats and avoiding tanning beds.
5. Decrease Publicity to Toxins in Occupational Settings
There’s a hyperlink between head and neck cancers and sure occupations. Cooks, cleaners and painters could also be at higher risk because of toxins of their workspaces. Nonetheless, taking sure precautions, equivalent to using the correct private protecting tools (PPE), may assist decrease the dangers. When you have issues about your threat of publicity at work, discuss to your supervisor or HR consultant. In case you don’t really feel such as you’re being heard, take into account filing a complaint with OSHA.
6. Schedule Annual Dental Visits for Routine Exams
Since some head and neck cancers start within the mouth, it’s vital to follow correct oral care. This contains at-home care, equivalent to brushing your enamel and flossing, in addition to routine dental visits. There aren’t routine screening checks for head and neck cancers, however your dentist could search for cancerous lesions within the mouth throughout routine exams.
It’s typically beneficial to schedule a dental check-up a couple of times a yr. These visits could also be lined by your non-public healthcare plan, however dental insurance coverage isn’t lined on all plans provided below the Inexpensive Care Act (ACA). You might be able to discover free or low-cost dental companies close to you. Cellular dental clinics are generally additionally a useful resource for underserved areas.
7. Ask a Healthcare Skilled About Screening
Early detection of head and neck most cancers may increase your survival rate, however there aren’t official tips for routine screenings. More research is at the moment being executed to find out if screenings stop head and neck most cancers deaths.
For now, it is best to assess your threat for head and neck cancers. In case you’re in danger, ask your healthcare supplier how one can get screened.
This instructional useful resource was created with assist from Merck.
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