Tongue cancer epidemiology and demographics

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Simrat Sarai, M.D. [2]

Epidemiology and Demographics

The tongue is the most common intraoral site of cancer in most countries. The worldwide incidence of oral cancer varies widely, in view of the spectrum of risk factors. Because of this variability, cancer of the tongue is a serious public health problem with significant mortality and morbidity.

Incidence

In 2009, the incidence of tongue cancer was estimated to be 10,530 cases per 100,000 individuals in the United States. In the United States, the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue has risen among white females and has decreased among African American women.

Gender

Males are more commonly affected with tongue cancer than females. The male to female ratio is approximately 2 to 1.

Race

Squamous cell carcinoma of tongue usually affects individuals of the [race 1] race. [Race 2] individuals are less likely to develop [disease name].

Age

The incidence of tongue cancer increases with age; the median age at diagnosis is 61 years. Approximately one-third of all diagnoses occurred in patients under the age of 55. According to the National cancer Institute from 2004-2008 the age at diagnosis and percentage of tongue cancer diagnosis are related as following:

Age	percentage of tongue cancer diagnosis
Under the age of 20	0.2% of all tongue cancer diagnosis
Between the ages of 20- 34	2.0% of all tongue cancer diagnosis
Between the ages of 35- 44	6.0% of all tongue cancer diagnosis
Between the ages of 45- 54	20.8% of all tongue cancer diagnosis
Between the ages of 55- 64	31%
Between the ages of 65- 74	21.9%
Between the ages of 75- 84	13.5%
The age of 85 years and above	4.6%

The study, which used data from 1973 to 2010 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, found an upward annual percentage change of 0.53 among white females, although the rise appears to have been limited to women under age 50 years. The report also found the estimated 1-, 5-, and 10-year relative survival rates for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue to be greater in white women than in African American females, but following multivariable analysis, the investigators attributed the higher survival rate not to race but to such factors as lower stage, younger age, married status, and receipt of surgical treatment.[1] In Europe and Australia, the incidence of oral cavity cancer is very low, accounting for less than 5% of all cancers. In France (male incidence rates up to 8 per 100,000 per annum), it is the third most common cancer in males and the second most common cause of death from cancer. In the United States, 10,530 new cases of tongue cancer were reported in 2009, with an estimated 1,900 deaths.

This incidence variability may relate to different societal habits, such as chewing betel nuts and habitual reverse smoking observed in Asia and the higher incidence of smoking and alcohol intake in certain European countries.

Race