Throat Cancer Risk Factors

Throat Cancer Risk Factors

Throat cancer risk factors are often similar to those found in mouth, head and neck cancers. For example, smoking and alcohol consumption are risk factors for many different types of head, mouth and neck cancers, including throat cancers.

There are a number of different types of throat cancer that may occur. These cancers may occur throughout the esophagus, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal.

Although the risk factors for throat cancer vary based on the type of cancer, the different types of throat cancer share some common risk factors that may include:

• Poor Nutrition - Eating a diet low in fruits and vegetables may increase the risk of throat cancer.
• Age - Most throat cancers are slow growing, and the disease is more commonly found in people over the age of 50.
• Gender - Throat cancers are more common in men than women.
• Virus Exposure - Certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may cause throat cancers.

Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancer Risk Factors

In addition to the general throat cancer risk factors mentioned above, there are certain known risks for cancers occurring in the neck.

• Weakened Immune System - Other diseases, such as AIDS, may decrease the body's immune function. This may increase your risk of developing a form of throat cancer, particularly laryngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer.
• Race - Caucasians and African Americans have a greater risk of developing this form of throat cancer than do Asians or Latinos.

Esophageal Throat Cancer Risk Factors

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - Acid that comes up from the stomach into the esophagus causes heartburn, and this is a common symptom of GERD. People with GERD have an increased risk of developing adenocarcinomas of the esophagus.

• Barrett's Esophagus - GERD can damage the lining of the esophagus and over time, the squamous cells lining the esophagus may be replaced by glandular cells that have a better resistance to stomach acid. This condition, known as Barrett's Esophagus, increases a person's risk for esophagus throat cancer because these glandular cells are more likely to have developmental abnormalities (dysplasia), a pre-cancerous condition. While Barrett's Esophagus increases throat cancer risk, it doesn't always develop into cancer.

• Obesity - Links between obesity and esophageal reflux suggest that people who are overweight may have an increased risk for esophageal cancer.

• Certain Diseases - Achalasia and tylosis are diseases that may cause throat cancer. Achalasia is a disease of the lower esophageal sphincter that prevents the muscle from relaxing properly. Tylosis is a much more rare hereditary disease that causes excess skin to grow on the palms, hands and feet. People with tylosis may develop abnormal areas in the lining of the mouth. People affected by either disease should be regularly examined for throat cancers.

• Stomach Bacteria - H. pylori is a bacteria that can cause the stomach to produce less acid. While less stomach acid actually protects the esophagus, people who have been treated for H. pylori often develop adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

• Solvent Exposure - Dry cleaning workers have a higher risk of esophagus cancer due to everyday exposure to chemical solvents.

• Esophagus Injuries - People with stricture, a narrowing of the esophagus often caused by injury, are more likely to develop a squamous cell type of esophageal cancer.

Having one or more of these common throat cancer risk factors does not guarantee that you will develop the disease. However, if you have throat cancer risk factors, you should talk with your doctor to establish an accurate medical history. Having an established medical history helps doctors better evaluate your risk for cancer and may help with diagnosing any possible throat cancer symptoms.

NOTE: Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer. Not having risk factors doesn’t mean that you will not get cancer. If you think you may be at risk, you should discuss it with your doctor.

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