Tobacco and alcohol as risk factors for the burden of head and neck cancers: a study from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

The risk factors associated with cancers of the larynx, nasopharynx, lips, and oral cavity, as well as other pharyngeal cancers, share many similarities. To better understand how these risk factors manifest differently across various head and neck tumour types, an in-depth analysis was conducted using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD).
The 2019 GBD dataset was used to scrutinize trends in incidence, mortality, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years related to these cancers. The analysis covered the period from 1990 to 2019 and was stratified by sex, age, geographical region, and the socio-demographic index.
In 2019, lip and oral cavity cancers were found to have the highest incidence rates, with notably higher age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) observed in males compared to females. The ASIRs for laryngeal cancer showed a decreasing trend over the studied time frame from 1990 to 2019. The study findings revealed that smoking posed a significantly greater risk for laryngeal and lip and oral cavity cancers, whereas alcohol consumption was more strongly linked to NPC. Central Europe had the highest ASDR for lip and oral cavity cancer due to alcohol use, followed by Eastern Europe. For lip and oral cavity cancer, the impact of tobacco chewing on female ASDR was most pronounced in South Asia. In contrast, nasopharyngeal cancer had its highest ASDR in Asia.
The investigation underscores that smoking and alcohol consumption are leading risk factors for cancers of the head and neck, although their effects vary depending on the specific type of cancer, the sex of the patient, age group, and regional demographics. While occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances does not appear to be a predominant factor, it remains an important consideration that should not be overlooked in the comprehensive assessment of risk for these malignancies.
Source: Yuan, Y., Huang, J. wen, Cao, J. lin, Wu, J. hui, Wang, L. ling, Gan, H., … Ye, F. (2025). Tobacco and alcohol use are the risk factors responsible for the greatest burden of head and neck cancers: a study from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Annals of Medicine, 57(1).