Rising incidence of oral tongue cancer among white men and women in the United States, 1973–2012

Cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx have traditionally been considered a single etiologic entity. However, recent studies show significant differences in the etiology and epidemiology for individual anatomic sites [1–3]. Reduction in smoking in the United States has resulted in significant declines in the incidence of most oral cavity cancers, including lip, gum, floor of mouth, hard palate, buccal mucosa, and vestibule cancers [4–8]. In contrast, the incidence of oral tongue cancers (anterior 2/3 of the tongue) has reportedly increased in recent years [7–12].

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