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Review
. 2021 Dec 26;14(1):88.
doi: 10.3390/nu14010088.

The Association between Carotenoids and Head and Neck Cancer Risk

Adam Brewczyński  1 , Beata Jabłońska  2 , Marek Kentnowski  1 , Sławomir Mrowiec  2 , Krzysztof Składowski  1 , Tomasz Rutkowski  1
Affiliations
Review

The Association between Carotenoids and Head and Neck Cancer Risk

Adam Brewczyński et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Head and neck cancer (HNC) includes oral cavity cancer (OCC), pharyngeal cancer (PC), and laryngeal cancer (LC). It is one of the most frequent cancers in the world. Smoking and alcohol consumption are the typical well-known predictors of HNC. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an increasing etiological factor for oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). Moreover, food and nutrition play an important role in HNC etiology. According to the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, an intake of non-starchy vegetables and fruits could decrease HNC risk. The carotenoids included in vegetables and fruits are well-known antioxidants which have anti-mutagenic and immune regulatory functions. Numerous studies have shown the relationship between carotenoid intake and a lower HNC risk, but the role of carotenoids in HNC risk is not well defined. The goal of this review is to present the current literature regarding the relationship between various carotenoids and HNC risk.

Keywords: laryngeal cancer; lutein; lycopene; nasopharyngeal cancer; oral cavity cancer; oropharyngeal cancer; pharyngeal cancer; zeaxanthin; α-carotene; β-carotene; β-cryptoxanthin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
General effects of carotenoids. ROS: reactive oxygen species.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chemical structures of the most common carotenoids.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The most important results regarding effects of carotenoids in the reviewed studies. HNC: head and neck cancer; PFS: progression-free survival; TILs: tumor infiltrating lymphocytes; AE: adverse effects.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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