humulene and Mouth-Neoplasms

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) corresponds to 95% of all malignant tumours of the mouth. The association between alcohol and tobacco is the major risk factor for this disease, increasing the chances for the development of OSCC by 35-fold. The plant, Cannabis sativa is smoked as cigarettes or blunts and is commonly used in association with tobacco and alcohol. Any type of smoking habit exposes individuals to a wide range of carcinogens or pro-carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as some ethanol derived substances such as acetaldehyde (AA), and all are genotoxic in the same way. In addition, ethanol acts in the oral mucosa as a solvent and therefore increases the cellular membrane permeability to carcinogens. Carcinogens found in tobacco are also concentrated in marijuana, but the latter also contains high levels of cannabinoids, bioactive compounds responsible for several effects such as euphoria and analgesia. However, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC), the major psychotropic cannabinoid found in plants, causes a reduction of cellular metabolism and induction of apoptosis, both of which are anti-neoplastic properties. Apart from limited epidemiologic and experimental data, the effects of concomitant chronic exposure to marijuana (or Δ(9)-THC), tobacco and alcohol in OSCC development and progression is poorly known. This paper reviews the most recent findings on the effects of marijuana over cellular proliferation, as well as in the risk for OSCC, with emphasis on its interaction with tobacco and ethanol consumption.

Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholic Beverages; Cannabis; Carcinogens; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Disease Progression; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Ethanol; Humans; Marijuana Smoking; Mouth Neoplasms; Risk Factors; Smoking

The illicit use of the three main forms of cannabis-marijuana, hash, hash oil-pose certain obstacles and challenges to the dental professional. There are a number of systemic, as well as oral/head and neck manifestations, associated with cannabis use. Dentists need to be aware of these manifestations in order to take whatever precautions and/or modifications to the proposed treatment that might be necessary.

Topics: Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; Bronchitis; Cannabis; Dental Care for Chronically Ill; Gingival Diseases; Humans; Immune System; Leukoplakia, Oral; Marijuana Abuse; Marijuana Smoking; Mental Disorders; Mouth Neoplasms; Tachycardia; Xerostomia

Topics: Candidiasis, Oral; Cannabis; Humans; Leukoedema, Oral; Marijuana Abuse; Mouth Diseases; Mouth Neoplasms; Papilloma; Smoking; Stomatitis; Xerostomia

For both genders, cancer of the mouth and pharynx ranks sixth overall in the world; it is also the third most common site among males in developing countries. In industrialized countries, men are affected two to three times as often as women, largely due to higher use of alcohol and tobacco. Ethnicity strongly influences prevalence due to social and cultural practices, as well as socioeconomic differences. In population terms, survival rates around the world show little improvement. In terms of etiology, the effects of tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption, and poor diet together explain over 90 percent of cases of head and neck cancer. All forms of tobacco represent risk factors for oral cancer, but on present evidence, snuff habits as they exist in Scandinavia and probably in the United States carry lower risks of serious health hazards, including oral cancer. Alcohol synergizes with tobacco as a risk factor for all upper aerodigestive tract SCC: this is super-multiplicative for the mouth, additive for the larynx, and between additive and multiplicative for the esophagus. The increase in oral cancer in the Western world has been related to rising alcohol use.

Topics: Alcohol Drinking; Areca; Cannabis; Carcinogens; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Diet; Female; Global Health; Humans; Incidence; Male; Mouth Mucosa; Mouth Neoplasms; Nicotiana; Pharyngeal Neoplasms; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Smoking; Tobacco, Smokeless

Marijuana smoke contains cannabinoids, immunosuppressants, and a mixture of potentially-mutagenic chemicals. In addition to systemic disease, it is thought to contribute to oral disease, such as tooth loss, tissue changes in the gums and throat, and possibly oral pharyngeal cancer. We used a cross-sectional study of 20 marijuana users and 19 control non-users, to determine if chronic inhalation-based exposure to marijuana was associated with a distinct oral microbiota at the two most common sites of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the lateral border of the tongue and the oral pharynx. At the tongue site, genera earlier shown to be enriched on HNSCC mucosa, Capnocytophaga, Fusobacterium, and Porphyromonas, were at low levels in marijuana users, while Rothia, which is found at depressed levels on HNSCC mucosa, was high. At the oral pharynx site, differences in bacteria were distinct, with higher levels of Selenomonas and lower levels of Streptococcus which is what is seen in HNSCC. No evidence was seen for a contribution of marijuana product contaminating bacteria to these differences. This study revealed differences in the surface oral mucosal microbiota with frequent smoking of marijuana.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bacteria; Cannabis; Female; Humans; Male; Marijuana Smoking; Microbiota; Middle Aged; Mouth Mucosa; Mouth Neoplasms; Pharyngeal Neoplasms; Pilot Projects; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck

Major risk factors for oral cancer are cigarette smoking and alcohol misuse. Among Asian populations, regular use of betel quid (with or without added tobacco) increases oral cancer risks. Dentists should be aware of some emerging risk factors for oral, and particularly oropharyngeal cancer such as the role of the human papillomavirus infection (HPV). Decreases in risk could be achieved by encouraging high fruit and vegetable consumption. Some controversies related to the aetiology of this disease also need clarification. The objective of this paper is to provide an opinion on these debated controversies.

Topics: Air Pollution, Indoor; Alcohol Drinking; Areca; Cannabis; Catha; Dental Deposits; Diet; Ethnicity; Heredity; HIV Infections; Humans; Ilex paraguariensis; Immunosuppressive Agents; Mouth Neoplasms; Mouthwashes; Nicotiana; Nicotine; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms; Polyomavirus Infections

Interviewing and examination of a population characterized by a high level of morbidity of oral cavity cancer, supposedly induced by the use of nas, established a high incidence of leukoplakia and preleukoplakia at this site which are identified as precancerous lesions. The highest relative risk of oral cavity leukoplakia was found in persons who both chew nas and smoke tobacco (12.4). Relative risk of leukoplakia is also elevated in those who either chew nas (5.6) or smoke cigarettes (7.7). This risk increases in step with the quantity of nas consumed per day as well as the number of cigarettes. The scrapings obtained from the oral cavity mucosa of nas chewers and cigarette smokers were shown to contain relatively higher levels of micronuclear cells. The results of this and previous investigations suggest that tests for the frequency of micronuclear cell occurrence may prove instrumental in identifying the early signs of carcinogenesis as well as in evaluating the efficacy of prophylactic measures.

Topics: Aged; Alcohol Drinking; Cannabis; Disease Reservoirs; Humans; Leukoplakia, Oral; Male; Mass Screening; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms; Precancerous Conditions; Risk; Rural Population; Smoking; Uzbekistan