Effect of National Oral Health Screening Program on the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Korean National Population-Based Study

Overview

Journal Cancer Res Treat

Specialty Oncology

Date 2021 Oct 26

PMID 34696565

Citations 2

Authors

Chan Woo Wee

Hyo-Jung Lee

Jae-Ryun Lee

Hyejin Lee

Min-Jeong Kwoen

Woo-Jin Jeong

Keun-Yong Eom

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Poor oral health is associated with head and neck cancer (HNC). We evaluated whether a national oral health screening program (OHSP) could reduce the risk of HNC.

Materials And Methods: Data from 408,247 healthy individuals aged ≥ 40 years from the National Health Insurance System-National Health Screening program during 2003 and 2004 in Korea were analyzed. The risk of HNC was compared between subjects who underwent OHSP (HEALS-Dental+, n=165,292) and routine health check-ups only (HEALS-Dental‒, n=242,955). The impact of individual oral health-related factors on HNC risk was evaluated in HEALS-Dental+.

Results: A total of 1,650 HNC cases were diagnosed. The 10-year HNC-free rate was 99.684% with a median follow-up of 11 years. The risk of all HNC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 1.29; p=0.011) and oropharyngeal cancer (HR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.94; p=0.005) was significantly higher in HEALS-Dental‒ than in HEALS-Dental+. In HEALS-Dental+, oral cavity cancer was marginally reduced (p=0.085), and missing teeth was a significant factor for HNC (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.50; p=0.032). Toothbrushing was a significant factor in univariate analysis (p=0.028), but not in multivariate analysis (p=0.877).

Conclusion: The National OHSP significantly reduced the long-term HNC risk, particularly the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer. Routine OHSP should be considered at the population level.

Citing Articles

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