Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in patients under 40 years of age.

Between 1960 and 1983, 63 of 3,489 patients treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, were under the age of 40 years. Malignancies in these patients occurred in the oral cavity (41%), pharynx (28%), larynx (25%), and other sites (6%). One third of the patients were females and half the patients were smokers. Approximately 50% of the patients presented with a cervical mass. Management consisted of surgery, radiation, or a combination of the two. Actuarial five-year survival for the entire group was 67%. The best prognosis was for patients with cancer of the larynx, while the poorest was for those with cancer of the pharynx.