Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg.  2017 Dec;39(12):41. 10.1186/s40902-017-0139-8.

Analysis of the outcome of young age tongue squamous cell carcinoma

• Jeon JH
• Kim MG
• Park JY
• Lee JH
• Kim MJ
• Myoung H
• Choi SW

• KMID: 2400064
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1186/s40902-017-0139-8

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The incidence of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) in young patients has recently increased, and these TSCCs are believed to be etiologically distinct from those in older patients, who have longer exposure to risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol. The prognosis of TSCCs in young patients remains controversial.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the records of 117 patients (2001-2011) who were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue. Patients were divided into two age groups, older (ages over 40) and younger (ages 40 and younger). Data were compared between the two groups, and survival rates were analyzed.
RESULTS
The results show that there are significant differences in overall, disease-free, and distant metastasis-free survival rates between the two groups. Five-year overall survival rates were 70% in older patients and 42% in young patients (p"‰="‰0.033). Five-year disease-free survival rates were 73% in older patients and 40% in young patients (p"‰="‰0.011), and 5-year distant metastasis-free survival rates were 97% in older patients and 62% in young patients (p"‰="‰0.033). Multivariate analysis revealed that histologic grade was the only independent risk factor for overall survival in both groups of patients (p"‰="‰0.002, HR"‰="‰2.287). The analysis also demonstrated that age was the critical risk factor for distant metastasis (p"‰="‰0.046, HR"‰="‰9.687).
CONCLUSION
In this study, young (ages 40 and younger) patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue had a higher rate of distant metastasis and a worse prognosis. Accordingly, we propose the necessity of an extensive therapeutic regimen that should be used in all young patients with TSCC.

Keyword

Tongue cancer; Young patients; Distant metastasis

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell*
Disease-Free Survival
Epithelial Cells*
Humans
Incidence
Multivariate Analysis
Neoplasm Metastasis
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Survival Rate
Tobacco
Tongue Neoplasms
Tongue*