Exploratory Study on the Relationship between Head and Neck Cancer and Japanese Cedar Pollinosis

Allergic rhinitis, especially Japanese cedar pollinosis, is considered a national affliction in Japan. The present exploratory study focused on the AllergoOncologic aspect of head and neck cancer (HNC) from the perspective of serum allergen-specific IgE against Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) for the first time. Serum JCP-specific IgE was measured in seventy-five HNC patients, including the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx, and seventeen nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients as well as forty-two patients with non-allergic benign disease (nABD). The JCP-specific IgE-positive rate was significantly lower in HNC than nABD (p = 0.037). Similarly, there was a clear trend toward a lower JCP-specific IgE score in HNC than nABD (p = 0.069). Further analyses excluding subjects in their 70s or older also showed that the JCP-specific IgE-positive rate was significantly lower in HNC than nABD (p = 0.022). In addition, The JCP-specific IgE score was significantly lower in HNC than nABD (p = 0.045). A lower serum JCP-specific IgE-positive rate in patients with HNC compared with nABD was demonstrated for the first time. An inverse correlation between HNC and Japanese cedar pollinosis was suggested from the perspective of allergen-specific IgE.