Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in head and neck cancer support translational research on cancers of the upper aero-digestive tract. In 2025, an estimated 59,660 people in the United States were diagnosed with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer and 12,770 individuals died of the disease. For laryngeal cancer, an estimated 13,020 people were diagnosed that year and there were 3,910 people who succumbed to the disease.
Known risk factors for head & neck cancer include smoking, alcohol use, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The first SPOREs in head and neck cancer were established in 2002, and co-funding for this program is received by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
University of Colorado Cancer Center Head and Neck Cancer SPORE
University of Pittsburgh Head and Neck Cancer SPORE
University of Wisconsin Head and Neck Cancer SPORE
Yale University Head and Neck Cancer SPORE