Conclusion
The mean age at diagnosis has
increased in the last 40 years for three of the four HNC evaluated in
this study, which is consistent with the aging U.S. population.
Oropharyngeal cancer was the only subsite to have an increase in
incidence in both males and females with a proportional increase in
middle age (40-59 year) patients Cancers of the oral cavity were the
only subset of HNC to show a true increase in the proportion of young
(0-39 year) patients. Case reports citing more young patients becoming
diagnosed with other types of HNC are not currently supported by the
data. When stratifying by gender, the proportion of young patients in
female HNC cases is much higher than the proportion of young patients in
male HNC cases.