Incidence and Mortality from Mucosal Head and Neck Cancers amongst Australian States and Territories: What It Means for the Northern Territory

Mucosal head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas that develop in the upper-aero digestiveepithelium. Together they constitute the sixth most common cancer with an estimated 900,000 new cases and350,000 deaths each year reported worldwide. The risk factors are tobacco, alcohol and human papillomavirus(HPV). Our research team initially reported a high incidence rate of HNC in the indigenous population of theNorthern Territory. Mortality rates also vary in the Australian States and Territories, with particularly highmortality observed in the Northern Territory. There is a paucity of incidence studies of HNC for the AustralianStates and Territories. Therefore this review primarily focuses on variation in incidence and mortality iacrossthe country and highlights specifically the high incidence and mortality in the Northern Territory. Attention isalso given to sex-specific incidence and mortality rates