
The number of cases has more than doubled within the last generation and previous common causes like smoking and drinking are being added to by other lifestyle factors.
Comment: Except the number of people who smoke is at a record low, so clearly smoking isn't to blame.
According to the Oral Health Foundation, 8,864 people in the UK were diagnosed with the disease last year - up 36 per cent on a decade ago, with 3,034 people losing their life to it within the year.
This is an increase in deaths of 40 per cent in the last 10 years, and a 20-per-cent rise in the last five.












Comment: See also: Immune system-evading hybrid virus observed in laboratory for first time, pathogen was a fusion of RSV & influenza