Forty years of monitoring head and neck cancer in Norway - No good news

Background: Male incidence rates of head and neck cancer are rising in most regions of the world. This paper describes Norwegian time trends in male i ncidence and relative survival from cancer of major head and neck sites. Ma terial and Methods: The presentation comprises the entire Norwegian male po pulation from 1955 to 1994. Incidence rates and relative survival rates wer e calculated for cancer of oral sites, oro/hypopharynx and larynx separatel y. Results: Age-adjusted incidence rates of oral and pharyngeal cancer incr eased after 1970 by 11 percent per 5-year period (95% CI: 5-19) and 14 perc ent per 5-year period (95% CI: 4-24), respectively. Laryngeal cancer incide nce increased after 1955 by 14 percent per 5-year period (95% CI: 7-21). Th ere were only small improvements in 5-year relative survival rates from ora l and pharyngeal cancer. Conclusion: Male incidence rates increased for all the studied sites during the observation period. The prognosis for the pat ient groups included in this presentation has not improved substantially si nce the 1950's.