This is the cause of more than 80% of cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and pharynx.

Tobacco is the cause of more than 80% of oral cavity, larynx, and pharynx cancers, warns the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL-CCC) on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. "Most head and neck cancer patients started smoking at an early age and develop the disease after years of continued exposure to tobacco smoke. The same will happen to those who are now starting new forms of smoking, such as vaping and hookahs," warns Dr. Sara Ferrero, president of the SEORL-CCC Tobacco Prevention Committee.

In 2024, approximately 10,700 new cases of head and neck cancer were diagnosed, representing approximately 5% of all cancers diagnosed in the country, according to the report "Cancer Figures" by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) and the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN).

Despite advances in prevention and awareness, head and neck cancer caused more than 3,600 deaths in Spain last year and remains one of the leading causes of mortality associated with tobacco use. "The clinical and emotional impact of these tumors is particularly high: they often require aggressive surgery, loss of vital functions such as speech or swallowing, and significantly disrupt patients' quality of life," says Dr. Ferrero.

Although tobacco use has declined in recent decades, 25.8% of the population between 15 and 64 years of age in our country still smokes daily . This decline, however, is threatened by the growing use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices, especially among adolescents and young adults. "These products, far from being a safe alternative, represent a new gateway to nicotine addiction and normalize consumption in social settings," adds this specialist.

According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health's National Drug Plan, around 46% of adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 have used e-cigarettes and water pipes (hookahs) in the last 12 months; and 27% have smoked tobacco, with this consumption being higher among women (30%). A US study published this month states that young people are switching from vaping to smoking because they consider it "healthier" and "more accessible." "E-cigarette smokers are twice as likely to end up smoking conventional tobacco than those who don't smoke," says Dr. Ferrero.

Therefore, the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery believes it is essential to strengthen prevention through sustained campaigns, increase access to effective smoking cessation programs, and promote greater institutional commitment to stricter laws regulating the sale, promotion, and consumption of tobacco and its derivatives. "It is necessary to continue raising awareness of the direct relationship between smoking and head and neck cancers, which we treat daily in our clinics and operating rooms," he concludes.

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. It causes 25% of malignant tumors and influences at least 18 types , including cancer of the oropharynx, larynx, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, lung, stomach, prostate, and more. It is also responsible for 80% of lung cancer deaths and 30% of cancer deaths overall. One in five cancer cases in Europe is attributable to tobacco, warns a study published in the European Journal of Cancer, which represents 750,000 tumors caused by tobacco.