Epidemiology of head and neck cancer in the United States.
BACKGROUND
Cancer rates of the head and neck are traditionally linked to public health issues.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the epidemiology of head and neck cancer in the United States.


METHODS
National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program.


RESULTS
A total of 75,000 cases of head and neck cancer were diagnosed in 2001. Incidence is rising in thyroid (up 52%), bone (43%) soft tissues (20%), salivary (20%), tongue (16%), tonsil (12%), and nose (12%). Incidence is falling in lip (down 58%), hypopharynx (35%), cervical esophagus (32%), oropharyngeal mucosa (26%), and larynx (26%). There were 30,000 deaths from head and neck cancer in 2001. Mortality has decreased to some degree at all sites except thyroid where it was stable.


CONCLUSIONS
Many head and neck cancers have changing incidence and mortality rates contrary to expected changes given trends in public health issues. Further investigation of risk factors, diagnostic practices, and management strategies is warranted.


METHODS
2C.
Davies
Louise
L
VA Outcomes Group, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, White River Junction, VT 05009, USA. Louise.Davies@dartmouth.edu
Welch
H Gilbert
HG
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018426:SEER Program / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology