Smoking Cessation Leads to Reduction in Risk of Head and Neck Cancer (11/3/2009)
Researchers involved in the International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology Consortium have reported that smoking cessation for one to four years resulted in a 30% reduction in the risk of head and neck cancer. A benefit of cessation of alcohol drinking, however, was not observed until after 20 years or more. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the International Journal of Epidemiology on October 5, 2009.

Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Improves Outcomes of Patients with Advanced Head and Neck Cancer (11/2/2009)
Researchers affiliated with the UK Head and Neck (UKHAN1) trial have reported that concurrent chemoradiotherapy reduces recurrences and death in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in Lancet Oncology on October 28, 2009.

Early Postoperative Taxol® May Improve Outcomes in High-risk Head and Neck Cancer (9/11/2009)
Researchers involved in the RTOG 0024 study have reported that the administration of early adjuvant Taxol® (paclitaxel) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy may improve local control and improve disease-free survival in patients with high-risk head and neck carcinoma. The details of this study appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology early online on August 31, 2009.

Differences in HPV Rates May Contribute to Racial Differences in Head and Neck Cancer Survival (8/5/2009)
Researchers from the University of Maryland and Harvard University have reported that the better survival among White patients compared with African-American patients with oropharyngeal cancer appears to be due, at least in part, to the higher prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers in White patients. These results were published early online in Cancer Prevention Research on July 29, 2009.

Topical EGF May Decrease Severe Mucositis in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Radiotherapy (7/7/2009)
Researchers from Korea have reported that recombinant epidermal growth factor (EGF) delivered as a spray twice daily may decrease the severity of severe mucositis in patients undergoing radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on June 9, 2009 in Cancer.