Carcinoma of the oral tongue in patients younger than 30 years: comparison with patients older than 60 years.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma is rising in young patients. This study evaluated the clinical, pathological, and prognostic characteristics of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma in the under-30-year age group.


METHODS
The computerized database of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of a tertiary, university-affiliated medical center was searched for all patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma treated by glossectomy with curative intent in 1996-2012. Data were collected by chart review.


RESULTS
Of the 113 patients identified, 16 (14%) were aged ⩽30years at presentation and 62 (55%) >60years. Mean follow-up time was 30months. Comparison by age group revealed no sex predilection and no differences in histologic grade or rates of advanced T-stage, perineural and vascular invasion, or nodal extracapsular extension. Rates of node-positive disease were 75% in the younger group and 19% in the older group (p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis yielded no between-group difference in disease-free or overall survival. Recurrence was documented in a similar proportion of patients (38% and 29.9%, respectively), but half the recurrences in the younger group were distant versus none in the older group (p=0.01) All younger patients with recurrent disease died within 16months of its appearance compared to 50% 3-year disease-specific survival in the older group.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma is more advanced at presentation in younger than in older patients, with higher rates of regional metastases and distant failure. Recurrent disease is more aggressive, with a fatality rate of 100%.
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva 49100, Israel(1). Electronic address: ohadh@clalit.org.il.
Ohad
O
Hilly
Yotam
Y
Shkedy
Roy
R
Hod
Ethan
E
Soudry
Aviram
A
Mizrachi
Yaniv
Y
Hamzany
Gideon
G
Bachar
Thomas
T
Shpitzer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005927:Glossectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
Oral tongue; Regional metastases; Squamous cell carcinoma; Young