Cessation of alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking and the reversal of head and neck cancer risk
V. Wunsch-Filho, N. Szeszenia-Dabrowska, L. Fernandez, Sergio Koifman, H. Morgenstern, D. Zaridze, E. M Sturgis, A. Menezes, F. Levi, Zuo‐Feng Zhang, Silvia Franceschi, M. McClean, R. Talamini, José Eluf‐Neto, Emily Ramonna Smith, Philip Lazarus, S. M Schwartz, J. Muscat, A. F Olshan, Paolo Boffetta, Mark P. Purdue, Carlo La Vecchia, M. Marron, D. M Winn, Qinpeng Wei, Richard B. Hayes, R. Herrero, E. Matos, P. Rudnai, K. Kelsey, Jolanta Lissowska, Ioan Nicolae Mateș
Abstract
Background Quitting tobacco or alcohol use has been reported to reduce the head and neck cancer risk in previous studies. However, it is unclear how many years must pass following cessation of these habits before the risk is reduced, and whether the risk ultimately declines to the level of never smokers or never drinkers.