Along with the relief of suffering, caring for the ill, and avoiding premature death, one of the goals of medicine is disease prevention. The majority of head and neck cancer is preventable. Every head and neck surgeon should ask whether or not our resources and efforts are being used in a manner that will provide maximum benefit to patients. In this commentary, we assess what the outcome might be if all head and neck surgeons focused solely on prevention.
TiwanaMSWuJHayJ, et al. 25-year survival outcomes for squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck: population-based outcomes from a Canadian province. Oral Oncol. 2014;50(7):651-656. doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2014.03.009
4.
CadoniGGiraldiLPetrelliL, et al. Prognostic factors in head and neck cancer: a 10-year retrospective analysis in a single institution in Italy. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2017;37:458-466. doi:10.14639/0392-100X-1246
5.
LeonciniEVukovicVCadoniG, et al. Clinical features and prognostic factors in patients with head and neck cancer: results from a multicentric study. Cancer Epidemiol. 2015;39(2):367-374. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2015.02.004
BanksEJoshyGWeberMF, et al. Tobacco smoking and all-cause mortality in a large Australian cohort study: findings from a mature epidemic with current low smoking prevalence. BMC Med. 2015;13:38. doi:10.1186/s12916-015-0281-z
DamgaciogluHSonawaneKZhuY, et al. Oropharyngeal cancer incidence and mortality trends in all 50 states in the US, 2001-2017. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;148(2):155-165. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2021.3567