CANCER OF THE ORAL CAVITY AND OROPHARYNX IN PATIENTS LESS THAN 40 YEARS OF AGE: CLINICAL APPEARANCE AND TREATMENT RESULTS

Forty nine patients less than 40 years old with carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx treated primarily at the Kobe University Hospital and/or Hyogo Medical Center for Adults from 1966 to 1985, were retrospectively analyzed. During this period a total of 616 of carcinomas of the oral cavity and oropharynx were treated in the department giving this age group an incidence of 8.0 %. Females predominated over males (27/49) and 39 out of 49 patients (80%) had squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue. The 3 and 5-year survival rate for all patients in all stages was 74% and 69% respectively. The prognosis was better as for older patients and a surgical procedure in combination with pre- and/or postoperative irradiation is recommended without compromise as to the cosmetic results. Their clinical appearance, stage, histologic state, treatment, and survival rate are reported and discussed.