Chemoprevention of head and neck cancer

Abstract

The history and current status of chemoprevention for head and neck cancer are introduced. From epidemiological and biological pre-clinical studies, chemoprevention utilizing retinoid compounds has been studied in depth. The use of 13-cis retinoic acid inhibited the progression of oral premalignant lesions, however, multiple randomized control studies (RCT) showed negative results in preventing second primary cancer. Other compounds such as COX-2 inhibitors and EGCG have also been studied but their efficacy is still not proven in RCTs. Prevention of second primary malignancies is essential for improving the treatment outcome of head and neck cancer. Chemoprevention is an important field of interest for head and neck surgeons.