Oral and pharyngeal cancer trends in Pennsylvania: 1999-2008

BACKGROUND: Oral and pharyngeal cancers (OPC) have dire prognoses due to late detection. Pennsylvania OPC statistics are not reported in the published literature (PubMed). Objectives: To assess OPC incidence and mortality rates and trends in Pennsylvania (1999-2008) compared to national rates. METHODS: The United States Cancer Statistics and Pennsylvania Cancer Registry data (from CDC Wonder) were used to assess OPC incidence and mortality rates and to analyze time trends and disparities across gender and racial-ethnic groups. The differences between rates were tested employing a Z-statistic and monotonic time-trend was tested by linear regression and Mann-Kendall's tau. RESULTS: In Pennsylvania, cumulative age adjusted rates [2008, per 100,000 (95% CI)] were as follows: Incidence: [Overall 11.2 (10.7-11.8)]; [Men 16.5 (15.5-17.5)]; [Women 6.7 (6.2-7.3)]; [Whites 11.1 (10.6-12.7)]; [African-Americans 10.4 (8.7-13.3)]. Trend for increasing incidence over study period was statistically significant (p<0.001). Mortality (trend p=0.26): [Overall 2.4 (2.2-2.7)]; [Men 3.7 (3.2-4.1)]; [Women 1.5 (1.2-1.7)]; [Whites 2.3 (2.1-3.6)]; [African-Americans 3.3 (2.4-5.4)]. In the U.S., overall cumulative age adjusted rates for year 2008 were as follows: Incidence: [Overall 11.2 (11.1-11.3)]; and Mortality: [Overall: 2.5 (2.4-2.5)]. Annual incidence and mortality rates in PA were slightly lower than US rates. Compared to Pennsylvania, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (MSA) OPC incidence rates were higher, mortality lower although annual percent changes in the MSA were variable. CONCLUSION: Pennsylvania and national OPC incidence rates are similar. Significant gender-based disparities in incidence/ mortality are evident. The MSA has higher incidence/ mortality rates compared to Pennsylvania and national figures. Acknowledgement: This study is supported by NIH.