title: Scientific progress in understanding oral and pharyngeal cancers.
abstract: Oral and pharyngeal cancers result from a complex interaction between genetic susceptibility and behavioral factors. Improved understanding of the underlying genetic events has led to insights about how oral and pharyngeal cancers develop and suggests promising new treatments. Tobacco and alcohol consumption are associated with most oral and pharyngeal cancers. Dental professionals' efforts to modify their patients' tobacco and alcohol use and to detect oral lesions at an early stage, together with scientific advances, will help reduce the impact of these cancers.
authors.affiliation: Oral Health Promotion, Risk Factors and Molecular Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. 20892-6401, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Winn
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gutkind
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Kleinman
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention