Oral Health, U.S. 2002 Annual Report
Section 13: ORAL AND PHARYNGEAL CANCER
| 13.4 |
Site-specific oral and pharyngeal cancer |
More than one-quarter of oral cavity cancers reported in SEER data from 1973 to 1996 occur on the tongue. The incidence of tongue cancer, as compared to other types of oral cancer, has increased in the United States in the past two decades (Shiboski et al., 2000). The lip is the only site where oral cancer incidence has declined in SEER data during the 1985-1996 period.
From 1973 through 1996, white men and women showed an overall decrease in age-adjusted incidence rates of cancer of the lip and floor of the mouth. However, they experienced a significant increase in age-adjusted incidence rate of tongue cancer over the same period, especially among whites aged 35 to 39 years (Shiboski et al., 2000).
SOURCE OF DATA
The analyses reported here are based on Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Cancer Incidence Public-Use Database, 1937-1996, August 1998 Submission.
- Distribution of oral cancers by anatomic site and stage at diagnosis
- The age-adjusted incidence rate for oral and pharyngeal cancer was highest for the tongue, followed by gum and other mouth, tonsil, salivary gland, and floor of the mouth. The oropharynx had the lowest rate among all sites (Figure 13.4.1).
- Cancers of the nasopharynx, tonsil, and hypopharynx were diagnosed more frequently at the advanced stage (Figure 13.4.2).
- Cancers of the tongue, salivary gland, floor of the mouth, and gum and other areas of the mouth were diagnosed with about equal frequency at localized and advanced stages (Figure 13.4.2).
- Cancer of the lip was more frequently diagnosed at the localized stage (Figure 13.4.2).
- Differences by race (Figure 13.4.3)
- Blacks had higher incidence rates at most specific anatomic sites of oral and pharyngeal cancer. The exceptions were tongue, for which blacks have a higher rate, but the difference is not significant; salivary gland, for which whites had a higher rate, but differences were not significant; and lip, with whites experiencing a higher rate of lip cancer than blacks.
- Differences by sex (Figure 13.4.4)
- For every site considered, males had a higher age-adjusted incidence rate of cancer than females.
Bullets reference data that can be found in Tables 13.4.1, 13.4.2, 13.4.3 and 13.4.4.
REFERENCES
Shiboski CH, Shiboski SC, Silverman S Jr. Trends in oral cancer rates in the United States, 1973–1996.
Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2000;28:249–256.
Figure 13.4.1. Incidence rates for oral and pharyngeal cancers by sites
 [D]
Data source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 11 Registries Public-Use, August 1999 Submission (1992–1997). The rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 1970 U.S. standard population.
Figure 13.4.2. Incidence rates for oral and pharyngeal cancers by site and stage* at diagnosis
 [D]
* The SEER stages of In Situ and Localized are combined into Localized; Regional and Distant stages are combined into Advanced.
Data source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 11 Registries Public-Use, August 1999 Submission (1992–1997). The rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 1970 U.S. standard population.
Figure 13.4.3. Incidence rates for oral and pharyngeal cancers by site and race
 [D]
Data source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 11 Registries Public-Use, August 1999 Submission (1992–1997). The rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 1970 U.S. standard population.
Figure 13.4.4. Incidence rates for oral and pharyngeal cancers by site and gender
 [D]
Data source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 11 Registries Public-Use, August 1999 Submission (1992–1997). The rates are per 100,000 and are age-adjusted to the 1970 U.S. standard population.
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