Improved outcomes with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma in Finland

Background Incidence rates for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are steadily rising worldwide. Methods All patients diagnosed with primary oral tongue SCC at the 5 university hospitals in Finland from 2005 to 2009 were studied. The mean follow‐up time was 43 months (median, 54 months; range, 0–111 months). Results Three hundred sixty patients with primary oral tongue SCC were identified. Treatment with curative intent was provided for 328 patients (91%). The 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) rates were as follows: stage I 87%; stage II 73%; stage III 69%; and stage IV 51%. The 5‐year recurrence‐free survival in general has improved from 47% in our previous published series (1995–1999) to 65% in the current series ( p < .001). Conclusion The outcome of oral tongue SCC has significantly improved in Finland. However, the relatively high number of disease recurrences in patients with stage I and II disease, when compared with patients with stage III and IV disease, calls for an investigation of new treatment approaches. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39 : 1306–1312, 2017