Survey Results on Head and Neck Cancers Conducted on "Rakuten Medical Head and Neck Cancer Overcoming Day" (2025) Presented as a Poster at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer

The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer (Location: Koto-ku, Tokyo, Chairperson: Seiichi Yoshimoto; hereinafter referred to as JSHNC) and Rakuten Medical, Inc. (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and Chairman: Hiroshi Mikitani; hereinafter referred to as Rakuten Medical) are pleased to announce that the results of a survey on head and neck cancers, conducted during the "Rakuten Medical Head and Neck Cancer Overcoming Day" in 2025, were presented as a poster at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer, held in Tokyo from June 11 (Thu) to June 12 (Fri), 2026.

Dr. Tamotsu Fujimoto, Councilor for Public Relations and External Affairs at the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer, stated: "While head and neck cancers are not as well-known as stomach or lung cancers, the head and neck region is involved in vital functions such as eating, speaking, seeing, and hearing, which are directly linked to daily life and one's existence. The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer has been collaborating with Rakuten Medical for the past three years, continuing awareness activities aimed at early detection and early treatment. The survey results, among other data, are also utilized to improve the quality of the society's public relations activities. Please visit our society's website and YouTube videos through the link provided in this press release."

Poster Presentation Overview

Presentation Title: Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Improvement Project 2025: Report on Public Relations Committee Activities of the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer

Poster Number: P04-9

Poster Link: http://www.jshnc.umin.ne.jp/pdf/20260611_poster.pdf

Key Presentation Points:

An online survey was conducted targeting the general public during the disease awareness event "Rakuten Medical Head and Neck Cancer Overcoming Day" in 2025, with a total of 3,992 responses received.

The awareness rate of head and neck cancers in Japan was approximately 40%, which was nearly the same as the 2024 survey1, indicating reliable and reproducible data.

While pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers were recognized as head and neck cancers by over 80% of respondents, tongue and thyroid cancers were recognized by only about 30%, showing a similar trend to the 2024 survey1.

The most frequent sources of medical information collected were, in order, primary physicians, the internet, and friends who are medical professionals.

Respondents recognized hospital and academic society websites as effective methods for obtaining appropriate medical information.

For disseminating medical information on head and neck cancers, further enhancement of hospital and academic society websites, as well as verification of the effectiveness of new initiatives such as video distribution, were identified as future challenges.

This poster presentation was conducted by the Public Relations Committee of the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer as part of its "Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Improvement Project 2025." Following the 2024 survey, the survey was conducted using the same methodology in 2025 to continuously assess year-on-year changes in head and neck cancer awareness and the direction of awareness activities.

The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer and Rakuten Medical jointly held this awareness event in conjunction with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles' first-team official game on July 20, 2025 (Sunday) (Sendai City, Rakuten Mobile Miyagi Stadium) and Vissel Kobe's home official game on September 27, 2025 (Saturday) (in front of Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe City). The survey was conducted among the general public who attended these events.

A digest video of this awareness event, jointly held by the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer and Rakuten Medical, can be viewed on the official Rakuten Medical YouTube channel.

Video Title: 2025 Rakuten Eagles & Vissel Kobe Sponsored Games "Rakuten Medical Head and Neck Cancer Overcoming Day"

Video URL: https://youtu.be/uzrIEQER4UA?si=ogsZZuh69JZz1F_l

The revised version of "Evidence-Based Cancer Prevention Methods 5+1," announced on June 3, 2026, identifies smoking and alcohol consumption as "factors that reliably increase risk" for multiple cancers, including head and neck cancers2. The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer and Rakuten Medical will continue to collaborate on preventive awareness activities, focusing on "smoking cessation," "moderating alcohol intake," and "oral care," as well as disseminating medical information to promote early detection and treatment.

The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer's website for the general public provides information on head and neck cancers.

Society Website: http://www.jshnc.umin.ne.jp/general/index.html

About Head and Neck Cancers

In Japan, approximately 47,000 people* develop head and neck cancers annually. Head and neck cancers are a general term for cancers occurring in the region from the head to the collarbone (excluding the brain and eyes). The head and neck region is broadly divided into organs such as the nose, oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Depending on the site of occurrence, diagnoses include pharyngeal cancer (nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal), laryngeal cancer (glottic, supraglottic, subglottic), nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancers (e.g., maxillary sinus cancer), oral cavity cancers (e.g., tongue cancer), salivary gland cancer, and thyroid cancer. This region, known as the head and neck, is concentrated with functions essential for human life, such as breathing and swallowing, as well as important daily functions like speech, taste, and hearing. Impairment of these functions affects Quality of Life (QOL), necessitating treatments that aim to balance cancer cure with QOL.

*Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Health Policy Bureau, Cancer and Chronic Diseases Control Division, "Report on Incidence and Rates of Cancer Registration in Japan, Reiwa 5 (2023)", Table 1. Total incidence for lips to other and unspecified sites, including lips, oral cavity and pharynx, nasal cavity and middle ear, paranasal sinuses, larynx, and thyroid.

Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer

The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer was established as the Head and Neck Tumor Study Group in 1961 with the aim of promoting the advancement and dissemination of head and neck cancer studies, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, and cooperating with related domestic and international academic societies, thereby contributing to the development of Japanese academia. It was renamed the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer in 2004, became a corporation in 2017, and currently has over 3,000 members. In the treatment of head and neck cancers, collaboration with surgical departments such as Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Plastic Surgery, as well as Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, and Diagnostic Pathology, is essential. The Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer includes participants from a wide range of fields, contributing to head and neck cancer treatment in Japan. http://www.jshnc.umin.ne.jp/index.html

About Rakuten Medical, Inc.

Rakuten Medical is a global biotechnology company that develops and sells new treatments for various diseases, including cancer, based on its technology platform called the Aluminox® platform, which combines drugs and light. Non-clinical studies (non-public data) of pharmaceuticals and medical devices developed based on this platform have confirmed selective necrosis of specific cells. Rakuten Medical aims to achieve its mission of "Overcoming Cancer" by delivering its innovative treatments to as many patients as possible worldwide, as quickly as possible. In addition to its headquarters in the United States, it has bases in five countries/regions globally: Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, and India. Rakuten Medical, Inc. is the Japanese subsidiary of Rakuten Medical, Inc. (USA). For more information, please visit https://rakuten-med.com/jp/.

Reference:

1. Masanori Higashino et al. "Awareness of Head and Neck Cancers and Methods of Collecting Medical Information." Journal of the Japan Society of Head and Neck Cancer, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 1-6 (2025). https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jjhnc/51/1/51_1/_article/-char/ja/

2. National Cancer Center, Japan, National Cancer Prevention Institute. "Evidence-Based Cancer Prevention Methods (Understanding Cancer 301)", 3rd Edition, 2nd Printing (April 2026).