Malignant tumors of the head and neck in a young population

Malignant tumors in the head and neck region are rare in patients under the age of 30 years. The survival rate in our group compared favorably with the rate for adults with similar tumors and supports the administration of aggressive treatment. Radiation therapy in the formative years can arrest skeletal growth and cause tissue atrophy which produces facial asymmetry, but it does give in balance a better functional result and less mutilation than does radical surgery. The risk of development of a second malignant tumor with the administration of modern treatment appears to be minimal. There is an urgent need for better documentation of etiologic factors.