Epidemiological profile of the number of deaths due to tongue cancer in Brazil: distribution among Brazilian regions, gender and age group

Keywords

head and neck neoplasms - mouth neoplasms - tongue neoplasms

Introduction: Tongue cancer is considered a malignant neoplasm of the head and neck, with squamous cell carcinoma being the most common histological type. Major risk factors include smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, with a lesser incidence associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and poor oral hygiene. Initial symptoms are often subtle and may include a non-healing sore, dysphagia, and local pain.

Objective: Analyze the number of deaths due to tongue cancer in Brazilian regions between 2015 and 2022, emphasizing the distribution by gender and age group.

Methods: An ecological study on the number of deaths from tongue cancer between January 2015 and December 2022, based on data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) on the website of the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). The selected variables were Gender, age group, region, deaths by residence, ICD-10 C01 (Malignant neoplasm of the base of the tongue), and C02 (Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of the tongue).

Results: During the analyzed period, 14,928 deaths from tongue cancer were recorded, with the majority registered in the Southeast region (51.53%), followed by the Northeast (22.64%), South (15.76%), Midwest (6.04%), and North (4.03%). From 2015 to 2022, the number of deaths rose by 13.46%. Mortality was more pronounced in males (78.49%). Regarding age group, the peak of deaths was recorded in the group that is between 50 and 69 years old (58.44%), followed by those older than 70 years (28.47%), and finally, those younger than 40 years (13.02%).

Conclusion: The rising number of deaths from tongue cancer poses a significant challenge in head and neck oncology due to the difficulty of early diagnosis, given its often subtle initial symptoms. The Southeast region experiences the highest number of deaths, likely due to its dense population and metropolitan lifestyle. The higher mortality rate among males may be linked to their greater use of tobacco and alcohol. Most deaths occur in individuals over 50 years old, probably due to prolonged exposure to risk factors. This highlights the need for effective preventive strategies and public awareness to improve early diagnosis and reduce mortality rates.

Corresponding author: Marcelle Alves Torres da Silva (e-mail: [e-mail]).

 

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No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

Publication History

Article published online:
06 May 2025