Comparison of cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx worldwide: etiological clues

We assessed separate and combined sex-specific incidence: rates of oral and pharyngeal cancer for 1988-92 and oral/pharyngeal ratios from 49 different cancer registries in Rye continents. Incidence trends over a period of app roximately 30 years were evaluated in 16 long active registries for men and four for women. Cancers of the lip, salivary glands, and nasopharynx were excluded. The incidence of both oral and pharyngeal cancer among men is hig hest in northern France, southern India, a few areas of central and eastern Europe, and Latin America. Among women, the highest incidence is observed in India. Oral/pharyngeal ratio is everywhere systematically lower in men c ompared to women. Recent trends for oral cancer are more favourable than th ose for pharyngeal cancer in developing countries. In developed countries, trends in oral cancer appears to be more closely correlated to changes in a lcohol consumption than those of pharyngal cancer. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.