Never-smokers, never-drinkers: unique clinical subgroup of young patients with head and neck squamous cell cancers.

Abstract

Young patients represent an increasing subgroup with head and neck cancer. Patients between 18 and 39 years of age with newly diagnosed and previously untreated squamous cell cancers were identified. Seventy-eight patients met the selection criteria: 28 patients were never-smokers/never-drinkers (NSNDs), and 50 patients reported tobacco or alcohol abuse (smokers and/or drinkers [SD]). NSND patients were diagnosed at a younger median age (31.5 years vs 35.5 years, p = .007), were more likely to be female (75% vs 30%, p < .001) and white (89% vs 60%, p = .006), and were more likely to have tumors of the oral tongue (57% vs 24%, p = .003) and T1 disease (47% vs 20%, p = .01). There was no difference in 10-year relapse-free survival, but a suggestion of improved 10-year overall survival for NSND patients (71% vs 46%, p = .10). Young patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) appear to have unique clinical profiles based on history of alcohol and tobacco abuse.