A statistical survey of autopsy cases of tongue cancer collected from the annual of the pathological autopsy cases in Japan (part III)
1988 Volume 34 Issue 12 Pages 2576-2585
Details
1988 Volume 34 Issue 12 Pages 2576-2585
In order to investigate the real condition of tongue cancer in Japan, a statistical survey was made on autopsied cases of tongue cancer, listed during 5 years (1982-1986) in the Annual of the Pathological Autopsy Cases in Japan. The following results were obtained:
1. A total number of 545 cases (Male 409, Female 133, Unknown 3) of tongue cancer were revealed. The average age at death was 59.2 ± 13.2 years in male, and 64.8 ± 14.1 years in female.
2. The autopsy rate of the cases with tongue cancer in Japan was 18.4 percent.
3. Tongue cancer was found most frequently in the 50-59 year age group (144 cases), followed by 60-69 year age group (142 cases) and 70-79 year age group (123 cases). These age groups totaled 75.0 percent of all cases of tongue cancer.
4. As to tongue cancer location, the lateral border was the most frequently affected site, and root of the tongue (30.5%) followed. The average age of cases dying from tongue cancer, originating from the lateral borders, was 61.8 ± 15.0 years; that from the tongue root was 62.2 ± 11.6 years, and that of the anterior site of the tongue was a comparatively advanced age (67.1 ± 11.6).
5. Histologically, 98.1 percent of the tongue cancer was squamous cell carcinoma.
6. In 43.4 percent of the cases with tongue cancer there was metastases both in the organ and lymph nodes; 33.8 percent of the cases had metastasis only to the organs, and 3.0 percent had metastasis only to the lymph nodes. Concerning the organs, the lung was the most common site (46.7%), followed by cervical soft tissue (22.0%), thyroid (14.6%), pharynx (14.6%), liver (13.8%), pleura (13.8%) and kidney (12.1%). The cervical lymph nodes were most frequently invaded (28.1%), followed by pulmonary hilur (13.3%), paratracheal (8.1%), supraclavicular (6.4%) and mediastinal (4.9%).
7. Of all tongue cancers, 117 cases of multiple primary cancers affected both the tongue and other organs were found (double cancer: 96, triplem cancer: 20, quintuple cancer: 1). Common organs with cancer which were combined with tongue cancer were stomach, esophagus, lung, colon, bone marrow, lymphatic tissue, and liver.
8. The causes of death not associated with tongue cancer were pneumonia, rupture of vessel, ulcer (perforation) and hemmorrhage in the digestive tract, hemmorrhage by tumor and fungal infection etc.
