Occupation and head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer is a multifactorial disease. Besides major risk factor s like alcohol and tobacco consumption, occupational factors play a signifi cant role. At present, it is estimated that in western industrial nations a bout 4-10% of all head and neck cancer cases are caused by occupational exp osures. Combined exposures to occupational and non-occupational risk factor s as well as the interaction of different occupational agents may have a sy nergistic effect on the cancer risk, It is very likely that the cancer risk due to occupational factors is modulated by host factors like DNA repair c apacity and enzymatically controlled activation and inactivation of carcino gens.