Trends in the Incidence Rates of Cancer of the Tongue in the City of Belgrade

Abstract

Cancers of the oral tongue (OT) and floor of the mouth (FOM) are frequently grouped together as carcinomas of the tongue and floor of the mouth (OTFOM). The incidence rate of these cancers varies worldwide from 0.1/100,000 persons a year for females in Algeria, Chile and Korea to 7.4/100,000 persons a year for men in New Delhi, India. The aim of this study was to analyze the trends in age-standardized incidence rates of oral tongue cancer in the Belgrade population during the period of past 12 years. The data were obtained from the Serbian Cancer Registry (The Registry). Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated using the direct standardization method to the world standard population and presented as an incidence rate per 100,000 persons a year. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to analyze the trends and annual percentage change (APC). The results of the joinpoint regression analysis showed an increasing trend of OT cancers for both genders, with an APC of 4.1% among men and 1.7 % among women. The incidence rate for FOM cancers increased, with an APC of 4.8% among men and 6.8% among women. Our results showed a continuously increasing incidence rate of oral tongue and floor of the mouth carcinoma in the capital of the Republic of Serbia.