CANCER OF THE NASOPHARYNX IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG-ADULTS IN SCANDINAVIA

Reports have been published indicating an increase in the incidence of cancer in the head and neck, e.g. the tongue, in children and young a dults under 40 years of age. In the present study the number of new ca ses of nasopharyngeal cancer in Scandinavia during the period 1958-199 2 was reviewed in the respective national cancer registers. Altogether 3,675 patients were diagnosed with cancer of the nasopharynx. Of thes e, 371 or 10.1% were under 40 years of age at the time of diagnosis. W ithin this time period no increase was seen in the relative amount of young among nasopharynx cancer patients in Scandinavia. When consideri ng the whole 35-year period the percentage of patients below 40 years varied between the countries from 7.5% to 18.3%. The majority of the c ases in each country occurred in males, both among the young patients as well as in the older age groups. Malignant neoplasms of the nasopha rynx are rare in Scandinavia. Both the relative and absolute amount of patients under 40 years of age at the time diagnosis was stable. No d ifference in the 5-year relative survival rates was seen between the p atient group under 40 years when comparing it with all age groups comb ined.