Oral squamous cell carcinoma in "young" patients

Aim of the study — to provide for medical oncologists and surgeon, who specialize in treatment of head and neck oncology patients, the most recent information about incidence and feature of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in young patients. Material and мethods. Pubmed, ScienceDirect are used for literature search. Data of world literature published since 1983 till 2021 and contain information about incidence, epidemiology, clinic, treatment and prognosis in OSCC in young patients. The data of retrospective and prospective clinical trials were studied. Results. Determined the relevance of this problem and described incidence and epidemiology. Based on the analysis of the most recent publications, the authors provided data on clinical picture and modern approaches to the treatment and prognosis of OSCC in young patients by comparison with old patients. Conclusion. Over the past 30 years, the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma in young patients has been increasing worldwide while the incidence of classical oral cancer has been decreasing and no clear etiology has been identified. In this review we analyzed and synthesized the literature regarding early onset OSCC. Since 1983, the first assumptions about the uniqueness of the etiology and clinical picture of OSCC in young patients have appeared; till this day, this topic remains relevant for head and neck oncologists. Understanding the biology of the OSCC in young patients can be crucial in determining the prevention of disease, treatment and prognosis for patients.