Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Incidence and Survival Trends in the United States: A Population-Based Analysis of Two Decades.

Importance: Laryngeal cancer has undergone a complex evolution in incidence, management, and standards of care over the past 20 years. Disease-wide demographic and survival risk factors have yet to be elucidated.

Objective: Examine incidence, management, and survival trends in laryngeal cancer from 2000 to 2019.

Design, setting, and participants: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was utilized to identify age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCCa) from 2000 to 2019. Joinpoint regression was conducted to identify annual percentage changes (APCs). Chi-squared analysis was used to find changes in demographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment changes over the study period. Finally, univariate Kaplan-Meier and COX multivariate regressions were conducted to identify survival differences.

Results: There were 46 266 cases of LSCCa identified between 2000 and 2019 with AAIR of 2.7 per 100 000 person-years with APC of -2.6% [95% CI: -2.8% to 2.4%]. These rates have largely been down-trending among demographic substratifications. Age at initial diagnosis has been increasing (64.6 → 66.0, p < 0.001). Higher median household income was associated with lower AAIR (35 000 5.3; > $75 000 2.2) and increased annual percentage decrease (< $35 000, -1.1%*; > $75 000, -3.2%*). There were no other clinically significant differences in demographic and clinicopathologic trends although persistent demographic differences were noted. Late T-stage at diagnosis has increased over the study period (T3, 18% → 23%, p < 0.001). Treatment with primary chemoradiotherapy has increased significantly (20.0% → 27.0%, p < 0.001). On univariate analysis, there were no significant differences in survival; however, on multivariate analysis, there has been a progressive improvement in disease-specific and overall survival over 5-year bins. Late-stage disease had a progressive improvement in survival with each treatment period on both univariate and multivariate analysis.

Conclusions and relevance: There has been a progressively significant decrease in age-adjusted incidence of LSCCa with increased utilization of primary chemoradiotherapy. When adjusted for associated characteristics, there has been a continuing improvement in survival over the study period, primarily in late-stage disease.