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Oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas in young patients according to their smoking status: a GETTEC study

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Abstract

Background

Incidence of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) is increasing, especially in young adults, despite decreasing tobacco and alcohol consumption.

Methods

This multicentric retrospective study of 185 young adults with OTSCC (median follow-up 43 months), investigated risk factors, tumour characteristics and oncological outcomes according to the smoking status.

Results

Overall, 38% of patients were smokers (S). Non-smokers (NS) were significantly younger than S. Sex ratios were 1.1 for N and 1.8 for S. NS patients were less frequently cannabis or alcohol users than S, but were more likely to have a history of leukoplakia. Second primaries were observed in NS (4.4%) and in S (12.7%). Despite more frequent local relapse in NS (p = 0.018), there was no difference in diagnostic stage and overall survival between groups.

Conclusion

OTSCC affects differently young S and NS patients suggesting the existence of a specific clinical entity of OTSCC in non-smoking young adults.

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Funding

The authors certify that there is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article. No commercial associations or financial relationships exist at the time of submission.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surgical Oncology Department, Léon Bérard Comprehensive Cancer Center, 28 rue Laennec, 69008, Lyon, France

    Sophie Deneuve

  2. INSERM UA8, Radiation: Défense, Santé , Environnement, Lyon, France

    Sophie Deneuve & Béatrice Fervers

  3. Head and Neck Department, Gustave Roussy Comprehensive Cancer Center, Villejuif, France

    Joanne Guerlain

  4. Head and Neck Department, Toulouse University Cancer Institute, Toulouse, France

    Agnès Dupret-Bories

  5. Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Bordeaux Pellegrin, Bordeaux, France

    Claire Majoufre

  6. ENT Department, CHU Croix Rousse, Lyon, France

    Pierre Philouze & Philippe Ceruse

  7. ENT Department, CHU Caen, Caen, France

    Marion Perreard

  8. Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Lyon Sud, Pierre-Bénite, France

    Nicolas Sigaud

  9. ENT Department, CHU Bichat, Paris, France

    Béatrix Barry

  10. ENT Department, CHU Lieges, Liège, Belgium

    Pierre Ransy

  11. ENT Department, CHU Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

    Philippe Schultz

  12. ENT Department, CHU Nantes, Nantes, France

    Olivier Malard

  13. ENT Department, CHU Tours, Tours, France

    Sylvain Morinière

  14. Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Caen, Caen, France

    Anne Chatellier

  15. ENT Department, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Erwan De Monès

  16. ENT Department, CHU Dijon, Dijon, France

    Mireille Folia

  17. INSERM U1052–CNRS UMR5286, Cancer Research Center, centre Léon Berard, Lyon 1 University, Lyon, France

    François Virard

  18. Cancer and Environnement Department, Léon Bérard Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lyon, France

    Béatrice Fervers

  19. Université de Lyon, Faculté d’Odontologie, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France

    François Virard

Authors
  1. Sophie Deneuve
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  2. Joanne Guerlain
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  3. Agnès Dupret-Bories
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Correspondence to Sophie Deneuve.

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Deneuve, S., Guerlain, J., Dupret-Bories, A. et al. Oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas in young patients according to their smoking status: a GETTEC study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279, 415–424 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-06793-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-06793-7

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