Mahajan Shaifali, Ahlawat Parveen, Tandon Sarthak, Purohit Sandeep, Prasai Gerim, Lohani Sauharda, Gairola Munish
Department of Radiation Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India.
Rep Pract Oncol Radiother. 2025 Jun 7;30(2):164-175. doi: 10.5603/rpor.105858. eCollection 2025.
The rising incidence of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) among younger patients has raised concerns about a distinct clinical course in younger adults. This study investigated differences in demographics, clinicopathological profiles, and outcomes, such as locoregional control (LRC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS), between younger (≤ 40 years) and older (> 40 years) OTSCC patients.
A retrospective analysis of 650 OTSCC patients treated between 2008 and 2022 at a cancer centre was conducted. Patients were categorized into younger (≤ 40 years, n = 189) and older (> 40 years, n = 461) groups. All patients underwent upfront surgery followed by adjuvant treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for LRC, DMFS and OS.
There was no significant difference in 3-year LRC (younger: 53.7%, older: 56.5%, p = 0.300), DMFS (younger: 57.9%, older: 61.5%, p = 0.339), and OS (younger: 59.4%, older: 62.7%, p = 0.397), median LRC (younger: 49.1 months, older: 55.7 months, p = 0.863), median DMFS (younger: 75.4 months, older: 69.1 months, p = 0.749) or median OS (younger: 75.4 months, older: 72.4 months, p = 0.831). Tumour grade, margin status, perineural invasion (PNI), nodal stage (pN), and extracapsular extension (ECE) were significant predictors of LRC and OS, but age was not.
Age is not an independent prognostic factor for OTSCC outcomes. Younger patients should not receive more aggressive treatment solely based on age. Treatment should follow standard care protocols for all OTSCC patients.
年轻患者口腔舌鳞状细胞癌（OTSCC）发病率的上升引发了对年轻成年人独特临床病程的担忧。本研究调查了年轻（≤40岁）和年长（>40岁）OTSCC患者在人口统计学、临床病理特征以及局部区域控制（LRC）、无远处转移生存期（DMFS）和总生存期（OS）等预后方面的差异。
对2008年至2022年期间在一家癌症中心接受治疗的650例OTSCC患者进行回顾性分析。患者分为年轻组（≤40岁，n = 189）和年长组（>40岁，n = 461）。所有患者均接受了初始手术，随后进行辅助治疗。进行单因素和多因素分析以确定LRC、DMFS和OS的预后因素。
3年LRC（年轻组：53.7%，年长组：56.5%，p = 0.300）、DMFS（年轻组：57.9%，年长组：61.5%，p = 0.339）和OS（年轻组：59.4%，年长组：62.7%，p = 0.397），中位LRC（年轻组：49.1个月，年长组：55.7个月，p = 0.863），中位DMFS（年轻组：75.4个月，年长组：69.1个月，p = 0.749）或中位OS（年轻组：75.4个月，年长组：72.4个月，p = 0.831）均无显著差异。肿瘤分级、切缘状态、神经周围浸润（PNI）、淋巴结分期（pN）和包膜外扩展（ECE）是LRC和OS的显著预测因素，但年龄不是。
年龄不是OTSCC预后的独立预测因素。年轻患者不应仅基于年龄接受更积极的治疗。治疗应遵循所有OTSCC患者的标准护理方案。
