Background
The increasing incidence of oropharynx squamous cell cancer (OPSCC) is well established. However, up-to date incidence estimates and trends for head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCC) overall including major anatomic sites and non-oropharyngeal (non-OP) HNSCCs by sex, race and age in the United States (US) are not well described.
Methods
Retrospective analysis of incident HNSCCs during 1992-2014 using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to evaluate incidence of HNSCCs overall, OPSCC and non-OP HNSCC (larynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, nasal cavity). Incidence rates were calculated overall and by subgroups of interest, and incidence rate ratios (IRR) were used to compare rates between groups. The incidence rates presented are per 100,000 people and age-adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population (19 age groups – Census P25-1130). Annual percent change (APC) was modeled with and without joinpoints
Results
Incidence of HNSCC overall declined (average APC [aAPC] -0.8, p<0.001) in spite of significant increases in incidence of OPSCCs, most notably between 2000-2014 (APC=2.1, p<0.001). Indeed, significant declines in incidence were observed for all non-OP HNSCC sites, for both women and men (each p<0.001). Among women, risk of OPSCC also significantly decreased (aAPC -0.8, p=0.002), while among men OPSCC risk was stable during 1992-2001 (APC 0.4, p=0.42), then significantly increased during 2001-2014 (APC 2.7, p<0.001). Decreases in non-OP HNSCC risk were especially large for Black women (aAPC -2.6, p<0.001) and men (aAPC -3.0, p<0.001). While incidence of HNSCC used to be highest among Blacks, since 2009 HNSCC incidence is higher among Whites than Blacks.
Conclusions
Incidence of HNSCC is declining, especially for non-OP HNSCC and Blacks.