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Oral Cancer Incidence (New Cases) by Age, Race, and Gender

Oral cancer rates have increased approximately 15% from the mid 1970s until the latest (2004) National Cancer Institute Survey. There are significant disparities in some population groups, with higher rates of increase in minority men.

Table 1 presents oral cancer incidence rates for adult men and women of all age groups and for selected racial and ethnic groups.

Oral Cancer Incidence (Table 1)

  • Overall, 10.5 adults per 100,000 will develop oral cancer.
  • Oral cancer rates are significantly higher for males than for females.
  • Oral cancer rates are higher for Hispanic and Black males than for White males.
  • Oral cancer rates increase with age. The increase becomes more rapid after age 50 and peaks between ages 60 and 70.

Table 1: Oral Cancer Incidence by Age, Race, and Gender

Incidence of oral cancer in cases per 100,000, by selected characteristics
Race Gender All Ages 0 to 19 20 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 79 80+
All Races All 10.5 0.2 0.8 2.4 8.7 21.7 33.9 40.2 40.0
All Races Male 15.5 0.2 0.8 2.8 12.7 33.8 51.9 58.9 59.4
All Races Female 6.1 0.2 0.9 1.9 4.7 10.2 17.9 26.0 29.4
White All 10.6 0.2 0.8 2.1 8.5 21.8 34.7 41.7 41.2
White Male 15.7 0.2 0.7 2.5 12.5 33.8 52.7 60.7 62.0
White Female 6.1 0.2 0.8 1.7 4.4 10.1 18.4 27.0 30.0
Black All 10.7 0.3 0.9 2.3 10.2 25.9 35.8 37.0 27.6
Black Male 17.2 0.4 0.8 2.7 14.6 43.2 61.0 61.6 43.4
Black Female 5.7 0.2 0.9 2.0 6.2 11.3 16.2 20.5 19.5
American Indian/Alaska Native All 7.4 0.1 0.5 2.1 6.6 17.5 28.9 22.6 16.6
American Indian/Alaska Native Male 9.7 0.0 0.3 3.1 8.8 24.7 39.5 29.0 15.2
American Indian/Alaska Native Female 5.3 0.1 0.6 1.0 4.6 10.9 19.7 17.4 18.5
Asian or Pacific Islander All 7.9 0.2 1.3 3.7 8.1 15.0 23.4 25.1 31.2
Asian or Pacific Islander Male 10.9 0.2 1.2 4.2 11.5 21.8 34.4 36.0 35.6
Asian or Pacific Islander Female 5.5 0.2 1.3 3.2 5.1 9.1 14.2 17.2 28.2
Hispanic All 6.1 0.2 0.5 1.3 4.4 11.4 20.1 25.4 27.8
Hispanic Male 9.2 0.2 0.5 1.5 6.1 17.3 32.9 38.7 39.7
Hispanic Female 3.6 0.2 0.6 1.0 2.7 5.9 9.2 15.6 20.9
White Hispanic All 6.3 0.2 0.5 1.3 4.6 11.7 20.4 25.6 28.2
White Hispanic Male 9.3 0.2 0.5 1.6 6.3 17.7 33.4 38.8 40.3
White Hispanic Female 3.7 0.2 0.6 1.1 2.8 6.0 9.4 15.7 21.2
White Non-Hispanic All 11.3 0.2 0.9 2.4 9.4 23.5 36.8 43.6 42.3
White Non-Hispanic Male 16.7 0.2 0.9 2.9 14.1 36.5 55.4 63.2 63.9
White Non-Hispanic Female 6.5 0.2 0.9 1.9 4.8 10.8 19.8 28.4 30.7

 

Source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program

* Stat Database: Incidence - SEER 17 Regs Limited-Use + Hurricane Katrina Impacted Louisiana Cases, Nov 2008 Sub (2000-2006), National Cancer Institute, DCCPS, Surveillance Research Program, Cancer Statistics Branch, released April 2009, based on the November 2008 submission.

Notes:

  • Statistics were generated from malignant cases only.
  • Rates are expressed as cases per 100,000.
  • Statistics are provided by the SEER Program for research purposes only.
  • Hispanic and Non-Hispanic are not mutually exclusive from White, Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian or Pacific Islander.
  • Statistics for Hispanics and Non-Hispanics are based on NHIA and do not include cases from the Alaska Natives and Kentucky registries.
  • Statistics for American Indians/Alaska Natives only include cases from the Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) counties.
  • Due to the impact of Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana's population for the July - December 2005 time period, Louisiana cases diagnosed for that six-month time period have been excluded from these statistics.  
Last Reviewed
July 2018