Case-control analysis of the association of inflammatory tongue conditions and risk of oral tongue cancer among US elderly individuals

The incidence of oral tongue cancers has increased since the 1980s among US men and women for unknown reasons. Analysis of the SEER-Medicare data set investigated the associations of inflammatory tongue conditions with risk of cancers or the oral tongue, other oral cavity, and oropharynx among US elderly individuals (age 65 years or older). The analysis found that inflammatory tongue conditions, overall and primarily glossitis, other specified inflammatory tongue conditions (eg, atrophy and hypertrophy), and other unspecified inflammatory tongue condition were associated with increased risk of oral tongue cancer. Risk associations ranged from 6-fold to 15-fold. Inflammatory tongue conditions preceded tongue cancer diagnosis by ≥ 5 years, and an estimated 1 in 11 tongue cancers had a preceding diagnosis of inflammatory tongue condition. Associations with inflammatory tongue conditions were relatively weak for other oral cavity cancers and oropharyngeal cancers, and were observed only close to cancer diagnosis.