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Trends in head and neck cancer incidence in Denmark, 1978–2007: Focus on human papillomavirus associated sites
Author(s) -
Blomberg Maria,
Nielsen Ann,
Munk Christian,
Kjaer Susanne Krüger
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.25699
Subject(s) - incidence (geometry) , medicine , epidemiology , head and neck cancer , cancer registry , human papillomavirus , head and neck , cancer , hpv infection , oncology , cervical cancer , surgery , physics , optics
Abstract The aim of our study was to assess the overall trends in the incidence of head‐and‐neck cancer (HNC) among Danish men and women in 1978–2007, to describe the distribution and incidences of HNCs at different anatomical sites, and to determine whether the incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated cancers is increasing. Data were extracted from the nationwide Cancer Registry database. To assess the possible impact of HPV infection, the sites of squamous cell carcinomas were categorized as HPV‐associated, potentially HPV‐associated or HPV‐unrelated. In total, 26,474 incident cases were identified and the overall incidence increased throughout the period. Significantly increasing incidence rates were notably seen for tumors in the oral cavity (2.2% per year), tonsils (4.8% per year), oropharynx (3.5% per year) and hypopharynx (4.4% per year). A significantly decreasing incidence of lip cancer was observed among men (–5.0% per year). Cancers at HPV‐associated sites ( n = 3650) showed strongly increasing incidence rates, primarily in individuals < 60 years. In contrast, HNCs at sites not related to HPV infection showed a significant decrease (in men) or virtually no change in incidence (in women). Our results suggest a marked impact of HPV infection on the epidemiology of HNCs in Denmark. HPV16 is the type most often found in HNCs; thus, the recent introduction of vaccination against HPV may in the future prevent HPV‐associated cancers of the head and neck.