ABSTRACT
Head and neck cancer is a very serious and incurable disease, the sixth most common cancer making up about 3% of all cancers. Most head and neck cancers are caused by mucous membranes in the upper part of the digestive tract, especially in the throat, pharynx, mouth, and nose, called the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Tobacco and alcohol are important risk factors for head and neck cancer. Additional aetiologies that cause cancers by viral infection and related genetic factors and its association with squamous cancer are not clearly understood. Genetic instability is one of the most common causes of all types of cancer. Genetic engineering (DNA) is often damaged by foreign agents, endogenous mutants and genetic variation combined with natural exposure to foreign / endogenous carcinogens is a major factor contributing to human differences. The single nucleotide polymorphisms in DDR (DNA damage repair) respond to many cancers including cancer of the head and neck. In this timeline article, we focus on the interaction between polymorphisms in the genomic stability pathway and the emergence of head and neck cancer. In addition, we highlight the various treatments involved in head and neck cancer.
