Head and neck cancer affected an estimated 50,000 people last year, and its incidence is on the rise in certain demographic groups, including young women. While the increase has some experts scratching their heads, there is one school of thought that believes the hormone estrogen may be a contributing factor in the transport of cancerous precursor cells throughout the oral cavity, thus promoting the disease.

The idea that estrogen may play a role is rooted in previous research which reported that changes in estrogen metabolism occurred after the lungs were exposed to smoke. These changes might increase the risk for lung cancer. To learn more about the potential role of estrogen in head and neck cancer, researchers exposed both precancerous and cancerous cells to the hormone.

What they observed was that estrogen induced the expression of an enzyme called cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1). CYP1B1 is responsible for the metabolism of estrogen as well as the breakdown of cellular toxins. What was most intriguing about the study was that CYP1B1 appeared to affect precancerous cells and not cancerous ones. Precancerous cells are in a sort of cellular limbo, whereby they are neither cancerous or normal.

Taking the experiment one step further, the researchers found that when CYP1B1 expression was blocked, the ability of precancerous cells to migrate and divide was inhibited when compared to cells exposed to normal levels of CYP1B1. The presence of estrogen also lowered the amount of cell death observed in precancerous cells, regardless of the level of CYP1B1 that was present.

The findings, published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, could lead to a novel approach to impede or prevent the spread of precancerous oral lesions to a more advanced stage, perhaps through diet or other natural means. This would entail finding a way to block the enzyme CYP1B1. The data is particularly relevant to head and neck cancer, which often involves a secondary tumor that adversely affect the chances of survival.

The study also sheds light on the underlying basis for head and neck cancer beyond the usual risk factors of tobacco and alcohol. The authors stress, however, that because the data is limited to the use of in vitro models, more work needs to be done, especially looking at this approach in animal models and eventually, in humans.

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer. The most commonly cited risk factors are consumption of alcohol and tobacco.

If you have questions or concerns, speak with your doctor. For more information, visit the website for the National Cancer Institute.