Global incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers by subsite in 2022

Cancers of the lip, oral cavity, and pharynx (LOCP) represent a substantial public health challenge worldwide. Using GLOBOCAN national estimates of incidence, detailed cancer registry data from Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, and population statistics from the United Nations, the authors report the distribution of new cases of LOCP cancers in 185 countries by sex in 2022. Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated. For countries lacking registry data, regional averages from high-quality registries were used to impute subsite-specific estimates. Worldwide, 758,000 people were diagnosed with LOCP cancers in 2022, with oral cavity cancer accounting for approximately 42% of cases, followed by oropharynx (19.3%), nasopharynx (15.9%), hypopharynx (11.4%), salivary gland (7.3%), and lip (4.2%) cancers. Oral cavity cancer was the most frequent LOCP subsite among women in 141 countries and among men in 93 countries, and incidence rates were highest in countries in South-Central Asia. Oropharyngeal cancer was the most frequent LOCP subsite among men in 44 countries and among women in five countries across Europe, Northern America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand. Nasopharyngeal cancer was the most common subsite among men in 39 countries and women in 23 countries, mainly in Northern Africa, Middle Africa, and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia. Rates of hypopharyngeal and salivary gland cancers were low globally, although the incidence burden was greater than that of lip cancer. The authors discuss incidence patterns in relation to disease etiology and the prospects of delivering effective cancer control measures, spanning primary prevention, early detection, cancer treatment, and survivorship.