New study links air pollution to higher rates of head and neck cancer

A recent study published in the news Scientific reports higher levels of particulate pollutants correlate with higher rates of respiratory and digestive cancers in the head and neck region.

The paper, “Exposure to Air Pollution and Head and Neck Cancer Incidence,” is the work of a multi-institutional collaboration with researchers from Wayne State University, Johns Hopkins University and Mass General Brigham.

The study was led by John Cramer, Ph.D., associate professor of otolaryngology, and John Peleman, MD, medical assistant in the Department of Otolaryngology, at Wayne State University School of Medicine. They partnered with Mass General Brigham, an integrated academic health care system.

“There has been previous research on air pollution, but the effects were mainly related to cancer in the lower respiratory tract,” says Cramer. “Head and neck cancer is a more difficult link to prove, and it is much less common than lung cancer, but because they also occur as a result of smoking, similar to lung cancer, we wanted to explore any links.

“The link with head and neck cancer is thought to come from what we breathe and that material that attacks the lining of the head and neck. We see many cases where carcinogens enter or collect in the body, where cancer can occur.”

“While there has been substantial research on the effects of air pollutants on lung disease, few studies have focused on air pollution exposure as a risk factor for upper respiratory tract infections, including the development of head and neck cancer,” said senior author Stella Lee. MD, of the Center for Surgery and Public Health and Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“These findings shed light on the important role of environmental pollution in upper respiratory and digestive tract cancers, and highlight the need for further awareness, research and mitigation efforts.”

Their study used data from the US national cancer database Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) from the years 2002-2012. Cramer found the highest association between this type of pollution exposure and head and neck cancer after a five-year lag period. They focused on PM2.5, particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns, and its effect on the incidence of respiratory and digestive cancers in the head and neck.

“We’re looking at a certain size of the air pollution particles,” says Cramer. “The size of the particles is relevant because the classic model for studying the upper respiratory tract is that the nose and throat act as filters before they enter the lungs. Larger particles are filtered out, but we conceptualize that different types of pollution strike differently. parts of the respiratory tract.”

Cramer hopes to expand their research by taking other data sets into account. He hopes that by showing this research to the public, it can help guide both policy and treatment in the future.

“Environmental health and personal health are inextricably linked,” said co-author Amanda Dilger, MD of CSPH and Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a member of the Mass General Brigham health care system. “Our study highlights the need to improve air quality standards to reduce the risk of developing cancer, including head and neck cancer.”