Is your mouth talking to cancer? The link between oral microbiota and Head & Neck Cancer

Head and neck cancer is the 6th most common cancer worldwide, with over half a million new cases every year. We know tobacco, alcohol and HPV play a major role, but science is uncovering a new actor: your oral microbiome.

Your mouth is one of the most complex ecosystems in the body, home to 700 to thousands of species of bacteria, fungi and more.

When this ecosystem loses balance, a state called dysbiosis, it can contribute to cancer development.

Research is moving toward personalized medicine. Your microbiome might be part of it.