Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a disease of older age group predominately in the sixth and eighth decades of life. The incidence of oral SCC (young age <40 years) varies between 0.4% and 3.9%. There has been increasing trend in younger age group worldwide as well as in India as reported by many studies.
Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare the clinicopathological profile, treatment, and outcomes of SCC of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer in the young age group of <40 years old.
Materials and methods: This retrospective observational study was done by retriving data of selected cohort from 2013 to 2015. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (10-30 years) and Group 2 (31-40 years) for comparison. SPSS Version 16 software was used for statistical analysis.
Results: Cohort of 217 patients was analyzed. The male:female ratio was 11:1. The most frequent site of primary tumor was tongue > buccal mucosa. The primary site of cancer as oropharynx was present in 3 (5.17%) and 22 (13.83%) patients, respectively, in two groups. Mean overall survival (OS) in two groups was 22.53 and 25.14 months, respectively (P = 0.119). The median disease-free survival (DFS) in two groups was 7 and 8 months, respectively.
Conclusion: The present study showed that the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer increases with age, but the behavior is more aggressive in a younger age group in spite of aggressive treatment, the DFS and OS were not improved in under 30 years group.