Increasing incidence and survival in oral cancer: a nationwide Danish study from 1980 to 2014

Authors

  • Kirstine Kim Schmidt Karnov Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Christian Grønhøj Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • David Hebbelstrup Jensen Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Irene Wessel Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Birgitte Wittenborg Charabi Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Lena Specht Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Andreas Kjaer Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine & PET and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Christian von Buchwald Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1080/0284186X.2017.1307516

Abstract

Background: Oral carcinomas (OCs) make up a significant proportion of head and neck carcinomas (HNCs) and are an important cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The purpose of this population-based study was to determine trends in incidence and survival in OC in the Danish population from 1980 to 2014.

Material and methods: This study covered all patients registered in the nationwide Danish cancer registry (DCR) in the period 1980–2014. Age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) per 100,000 and annual percentage change (APC) were evaluated. Also, 5-year overall survival (OS) was calculated with Cox regression analysis in relation to location, gender, age, and calendar year at diagnosis.

Results: Altogether, 8299 patients with oral cancer were identified, 5062 (61%) of whom were males and 3237 (39%) were females. The median age at diagnosis was 63 years. The AAIR of patients with OC increased from 1.9 per 100,000 in 1980 to 3.5 per 100,000 in 2014, and we observed a significant increase in 5-year OS of 12% points (a relative increase of 38%) from the period 1980–1984 to 2005–2009. Women were found to have a better prognosis than men.

Conclusions: We found an unexpected increase in the age-standardized incidence of OC during the last 30 years in Denmark, and also an improvement in survival. The 5-year OS was significantly better in recent years even when we adjusted the analysis for relevant covariates.

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Published

2017-09-02

How to Cite

Kim Schmidt Karnov, K. ., Grønhøj, C. ., Hebbelstrup Jensen, D. ., Wessel, I. ., Wittenborg Charabi, B. ., Specht, L. ., … von Buchwald, C. . (2017). Increasing incidence and survival in oral cancer: a nationwide Danish study from 1980 to 2014. Acta Oncologica, 56(9), 1204–1209. https://doi.org/10.1080/0284186X.2017.1307516

Issue

Vol. 56 No. 9 (2017): Acta Oncologica

Section

Articles