| Title: | Poor Oral Health and Risk of Respiratory Tract Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study from the UK Biobank |
| Journal: | Cancers |
| Published: | 16 Sep 2025 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41008872/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17183028 |
| URL: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/18/3028/pdf?version=1758032076 |
Publication 19488
WARNING: the interactive features of this website use CSS3, which your browser does not support. To use the full features of this website, please update your browser.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The individual and combined effects of diverse dental problems on site-specific respiratory tract cancer remain insufficiently addressed. This study investigated the associations between six oral conditions-dentures, loose teeth, painful gums, bleeding gums, toothache, and mouth ulcers-and the risk of developing cancers of the lung, bronchus, larynx, and trachea, both individually and collectively.</p>
METHODS: This prospective cohort study, utilizing baseline data from the UK Biobank, analyzed 438,762 participants aged 40-69 years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were employed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for incident respiratory tract cancer associated with individual oral conditions and their cumulative impact. Effect modification by sociodemographics, lifestyle, and underlying medical conditions was further assessed.</p>
RESULTS: During the follow-up (median = 11.0 years), 3568 participants developed respiratory tract cancer. After adjusting for confounders, including smoking history, individuals with any oral issues exhibited a 35-76% higher risk of respiratory tract cancer (HR [95% CI]: 1.35 [1.25-1.46] for the total risk, 1.34 [1.24-1.45] for bronchus/lung cancer, and 1.76 [1.23-2.52] for laryngeal cancer). Dentures (1.48 [1.36-1.60]), loose teeth (1.36 [1.20-1.54]), and painful gums (1.25 [1.04-1.50]) had a strong association with respiratory tract cancer. The overall risk escalated progressively with the number of concurrent problems (HR [95% CI] of 1.32 [1.22-1.43] for one, 1.42 [1.25-1.62] for two, 1.57 [1.23-1.98] for three, and 1.71 [1.16-2.50] for ≥four). Associations were pronounced among smokers (p-interaction = 0.002).</p>
CONCLUSIONS: Poor oral health is linked to a heightened risk of respiratory tract cancer, especially when coupled with smoking, underscoring the importance of oral health promotion in cancer prevention strategies.</p>
12 Authors
- Danting Yang
- Hyung-Suk Yoon
- Tara Hashemian
- Young-Rock Hong
- Shama D. Karanth
- Sai Zhang
- Heba El-Ahmad
- Shannon M. Wallet
- Qiuyin Cai
- Xiao-Ou Shu
- Ji-Hyun Lee
- Jae Jeong Yang
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 117298 | The Association of Oral Health Disparities with the Risk of Respiratory Tract and Head and Neck Cancers in the UK Biobank |
Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health