Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in children.

Only 14 case reports of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in children under 15 years of age had been published until 1980. One was reported in Finland as a second tumor in a patient with retinoblastoma. According to the Finnish Cancer Registry, which covers the whole population, three cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in children under 15 years of age have been diagnosed in Finland during the 20 years from 1961 to 1980; the age-adjusted annual incidence rate being 0.13 per 1,000,000 children per year. According to the available material, the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in children is poor. The treatment has followed the guidelines for adults.