Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue in patients younger than 30 years: clinicopathologic features and outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the possible effect of young age on clinical behaviour and survival outcome of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue.

DESIGN

Retrospective, case control study.

SETTING

A major tertiary referral centre.

PARTICIPANTS

Eighty-five patients with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma with at least 2 years of follow-up.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Clinical and histopathological staging, disease-free survival, disease-specific survival and overall survival.

RESULTS

Eleven patients (13%) were younger than 30 years. Compared to the older patients, they had a significantly worse N stage (P = 0.041), more perineural invasion (P = 0.012), and higher rates, though not significant, of treatment failure (46%, including 60% with distant metastases, versus 35%, nearly all locoregional) and mortality (100% of treatment failures versus 73%). There were no significant between-group differences in 5-year disease-free, disease-specific, and overall survival.

CONCLUSION

In this study, patients younger than 30 years of age presented with advanced tumour stages and with a different failure pattern compared to the older age group. This may be attributable to age-related biologic behaviour or delayed cancer diagnosis. Differences in disease free survival and overall survival could not be established.