Approved Research

Genetic influence of the relationship between air pollution and development of head and neck cancers

Lay summary

Introduction

It is known that exposure to particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers is an independent risk factor for the development of some types of head and neck cancers, like oral cavity and laryngeal malignancies. However, to our knowledge, there are no studies on the genetic influence of that relationship. On this study, we want to investigate the if there are genes that modify the relationship between air pollution and the incidence of head and neck cancers.

Public health impact

We plan to further investigate the relationship of the air pollution on the incidence of head and neck malignancies. Air pollution is one of the most studied causes of morbidity and mortality, playing a major role in the public health policies. Cancer is the second cause of deaths worldwide, with more than 600.000 deaths in 2020. Our study can guide public health policies in reducing a specific air pollutant, like particulate matter, that can be associated with head and neck neoplasms development. The reduction of the incidence of head and neck cancers can lead to improvement of the costs associated with the treatment of these malignancies, diminishing the burden of cancer treatment on public health systems.