若年者頭頸部悪性腫瘍の検討

Malignant Head and Neck Tumors in the Young Patient

　はじめに

　20歳未満の頭頸部悪性腫瘍はその頻度は少なく，頭頸部悪性腫瘍の1％を占めるにすぎない^1）。成人と若年者の腫瘍では，病理組織ひとつをとっても，成人は扁平上皮癌が多い一方，若年者では非上皮性の占める割合が多く，両者は様相が異なる。それゆえ若年者では成人とは違った注意，対応が必要と思われる。若年者の症例が少ないためか，それをまとめた報告も少ない。そこで若年者の頭頸部悪性腫瘍の実態を把握するため，1981年より92年までの12年間に当科で治療を行った20歳未満の頭頸部悪姓腫瘍患者13名について検討した。

Thirteen patients below the age of 20 years with malignant head and neck tumors, treated at Niigata University Hospital from 1981 to 1992, and all patients with head and neck tumors registered in Niigata Prefecture between 1986 and 1991, were enrolled in this study. Only 1.3 % of malignant head and neck tumors were in the young age group. The nasopharynx was the most common site. Epithelial tumors were fewer than non-epithelial tumors. Poorly or undifferen-tiated squarnous cell carcinomas were the most common epithelial tumors, and rhabdomyosar-coma and malignant lymphoma were the most common non-epithelial tumors. Five-year survival rate was 50. 1% , and prognosis of the non-epithelial tumors was especially poor.