Life Course Determinants of Head and Neck Cancer

Background:

Over the last decade incidence rates of head and neck cancer (HNC) have risen by 39% in the UK, with the highest rates reported in Scotland. Half of HNC cases in UK are diagnosed in patients aged 65 years and over. Several studies have shown that chronic diseases which occur in later adulthood, are influenced by social and psychological circumstances during birth, childhood, adolescence and early adult life. From a life course perspective, HNC in later life is the sum of all the predisposing factors and determinants throughout the patient’s life course, rather than events that happen at one point in time. Early childhood circumstances (such as low socio-economic status; poor nutrition; psychosocial disadvantage) may add to the risk of diseases in late adulthood. Within oral health research we have limited knowledge of the life course determinants which might predict incidence of HNC in later life. Therefore, this project aims to identify determinants of HNC by conducting epidemiological and case control studies using the life course framework. The student will be involved in a novel area of research, where recognising such determinants might inform future health policies and intervention programmes critically needed to improve oral health and well-being in patients with HNC.