Association between head and neck cancer and sexually transmitted diseases: a Danish nationwide, case-control study. (2nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Grønhøj, Christian; Jakobsen, Kathrine Kronberg; Wingstrand, Vibe Lindeblad; Jensen, David; Iachina, Maria; Egeberg, Alexander; Thyssen, Jacob P.; von Buchwald, Christian
• Is Part Of: Acta oto-laryngologica. Volume 140:Number 7(2020)
• Page Start: 615
• Page End: 619
• Publication Date: 2020-07-02
• Subjects: Epidemiology -- head and neck cancer -- incidence -- sexual transmitted disease -- cancer risk; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Ear -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Throat -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Electronic Resources; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; 617.8
• DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2020.1748709
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-6489

Abstract

Abstract: Background: An association between sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and occurrence of head and neck cancer (HNC) is proposed. Aims/objectives: We aimed to determine the association between selected STDs (syphilis, gonorrhoea, HIV) and HNC. Materials and methods: Patients diagnosed with HNC in Denmark between 1978 and 2014 identified through the Danish Cancer Registry were included. Patients were age- and sex-matched in a 1:10 ratio with general population controls. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox regression model to assess the correlation between STD and HNC. Results: A total of 39, 405 HNC patients (63% men; 63.0 years at HNC diagnosis) and 393, 238 controls were included. STD in HNC patients was 0.27%, vs. 0.11% in controls. Patients with cancer of the upper airways had a significantly higher prevalence of an STD prior to the HNC compared to controls. Most HNC patients with a prior STD (64.1%) developed the HNC within five years after the STD diagnosis. Conclusions: Although the studied STDs are rare, patients with cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract more commonly had a previous diagnosis of STD compared to controls. The study promotes the hypothesis that a causal link exists between STD and HNC.