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REVIEW article

Front. Oncol.
Sec. Head and Neck Cancer
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1452909

Oral cancer in young adults: incidence, risk factors, prognosis, and molecular biomarkers

Provisionally accepted
Deborah Lenoci Deborah Lenoci 1Elisa Moresco Elisa Moresco 2Stefano Cavalieri Stefano Cavalieri 2,3*Cristiana Bergamini Cristiana Bergamini 2Erica Torchia Erica Torchia 1Laura Botta Laura Botta 4Silvana Canevari Silvana Canevari 5Annalisa Trama Annalisa Trama 4Lisa Licitra Lisa Licitra 2,3Loris De Cecco Loris De Cecco 1
  • 1 Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
  • 2 Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
  • 3 Department of Oncology and Hematology Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
  • 4 Evaluative Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
  • 5 Retired, Milan, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) predominantly affects the tongue and the floor of the mouth, primarily in patients over 50 years of age. Incidence and mortality rates vary significantly worldwide, influenced by geographic areas and demographic characteristics.Epidemiological studies revealed an increase in incidence of OCSCC among young adults (YA) <44 years oldEpidemiological studies have revealed a notable incidence of OCSCC among young adults (YA) <44 years old. This narrative review, provides updated information on the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of YA-OCSCC using data published from 2018 to 2023 from different geographic locations. The studies indicate that the incidence of YA-OCSCC in Asia is approximately twice that in the US and that the incidence is strongly linked to risk factors such as betel quid chewing, tobacco use, and high alcohol consumption. The prognosis for YA-OCSCC, compared to that in older patients, shows similar or better overall survival, even in cases with relapses, but worse 5-year disease-free survival, despite receiving similar treatments. Consequently, a concerted effort is crucial to raise awareness about the cessation of tobacco and areca nut use, alcohol control, and the promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors. Recent molecular data on YA-OCSCC suggests a potential profile characterized by epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression, low tumor mutation burden and an attenuated immune response. Upon confirmation in larger cohorts of YA-OCSCC patients from different geographical areas, the validated markers could aid in selecting tailored treatments.

    Keywords: Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, Young Adult, Incidence, Risk factors, Outcome, molecular data

    Received: 21 Jun 2024; Accepted: 05 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Lenoci, Moresco, Cavalieri, Bergamini, Torchia, Botta, Canevari, Trama, Licitra and De Cecco. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Stefano Cavalieri, Head and Neck Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.