Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname: An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021

Sangeeta K Bisheshar; Els T M Dams; Mikel Chan; Lorian Slagter-Menkema; Harie Basdew; Tineke van der Sluis; Rabia N Mohamedradja-Taus; Dave P Ameerali; Ralph A E Akrum; Surya Sheorajpanday; Robert Mehilal; Rachel S van Leeuwaarde; Lot A Devriese; Boukje A C van Dijk; Stefan M Willems; Bert van der Vegt; Gerben E Breimer

doi:10.1200/GO-25-00045

Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname: An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021

Sangeeta K Bisheshar
, Els T M Dams
, Mikel Chan
, Lorian Slagter-Menkema
, Harie Basdew
, Tineke van der Sluis
, Rabia N Mohamedradja-Taus
, Dave P Ameerali
, Ralph A E Akrum
, Surya Sheorajpanday
, Robert Mehilal
, Rachel S van Leeuwaarde
, Lot A Devriese
, Boukje A C van Dijk
, Stefan M Willems
, Bert van der Vegt
, Gerben E Breimer^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

PURPOSE: This study investigates the incidence and clinicopathologic characteristics of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the Surinamese population, with an emphasis on the burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

METHODS: Histologically confirmed HNC diagnosed between 2009 and 2021 were retrospectively collected from the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, the country's diagnostic pathology center. Additional clinical data were acquired from three other hospitals. Incidence rates were expressed as crude rates and age-adjusted World Standardized Rates per 100,000 population. Annual percentage changes (APCs) were calculated with Joinpoint regression software. HPV and EBV status were determined on pretreatment biopsies or resections of 263 patients from whom histopathologic material could be collected.

RESULTS: Of 364 patients, 279 (76.6%) were male. A substantial increase in HNC incidence was observed (2012-2019: annual percentage change 6.8%). Oral cavity carcinoma was most common in the Hindustani population, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Maroon and Javanese populations, and laryngeal carcinoma (LC) in the Creole population. Patients with LC were more often smokers, whereas patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) more often consumed alcohol. Most patients presented with advanced-stage disease at diagnosis (73.0%). Among 60 OPCs, 21 (35.0%) were HPV positive, and among 47 NPCs 43 (91.4%) were EBV positive.

CONCLUSION: An increase in HNC incidence in Suriname has been observed that appears to be unrelated to a rise in OPC and is likely due to better diagnostic modalities and increase in the number of ear, nose, and throat specialists. Ethnic and lifestyle differences are seen in HNC primary tumor sites. The high proportion of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis highlights the urgent need to raise disease awareness and prioritize early detection to improve survival outcomes.

Original language	English
Article number	e2500045
Journal	JCO global oncology
Volume	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1200/GO-25-00045
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025

Keywords

Humans
Male
Female
Suriname/epidemiology
Middle Aged
Head and Neck Neoplasms/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Adult
Aged
Incidence
Young Adult
Aged, 80 and over
Adolescent
Herpesvirus 4, Human/isolation & purification
Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology

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Bisheshar, S. K., Dams, E. T. M., Chan, M., Slagter-Menkema, L., Basdew, H., van der Sluis, T., Mohamedradja-Taus, R. N., Ameerali, D. P., Akrum, R. A. E., Sheorajpanday, S., Mehilal, R., van Leeuwaarde, R. S., Devriese, L. A., van Dijk, B. A. C., Willems, S. M., van der Vegt, B., & Breimer, G. E. (2025). Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname: An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021. JCO global oncology, 11, Article e2500045. https://doi.org/10.1200/GO-25-00045

@article{1df3dcbf592041579619e7eca338600c,

title = "Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname: An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021",

abstract = "PURPOSE: This study investigates the incidence and clinicopathologic characteristics of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the Surinamese population, with an emphasis on the burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).METHODS: Histologically confirmed HNC diagnosed between 2009 and 2021 were retrospectively collected from the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, the country's diagnostic pathology center. Additional clinical data were acquired from three other hospitals. Incidence rates were expressed as crude rates and age-adjusted World Standardized Rates per 100,000 population. Annual percentage changes (APCs) were calculated with Joinpoint regression software. HPV and EBV status were determined on pretreatment biopsies or resections of 263 patients from whom histopathologic material could be collected.RESULTS: Of 364 patients, 279 (76.6\%) were male. A substantial increase in HNC incidence was observed (2012-2019: annual percentage change 6.8\%). Oral cavity carcinoma was most common in the Hindustani population, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Maroon and Javanese populations, and laryngeal carcinoma (LC) in the Creole population. Patients with LC were more often smokers, whereas patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) more often consumed alcohol. Most patients presented with advanced-stage disease at diagnosis (73.0\%). Among 60 OPCs, 21 (35.0\%) were HPV positive, and among 47 NPCs 43 (91.4\%) were EBV positive.CONCLUSION: An increase in HNC incidence in Suriname has been observed that appears to be unrelated to a rise in OPC and is likely due to better diagnostic modalities and increase in the number of ear, nose, and throat specialists. Ethnic and lifestyle differences are seen in HNC primary tumor sites. The high proportion of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis highlights the urgent need to raise disease awareness and prioritize early detection to improve survival outcomes.",

keywords = "Humans, Male, Female, Suriname/epidemiology, Middle Aged, Head and Neck Neoplasms/epidemiology, Retrospective Studies, Adult, Aged, Incidence, Young Adult, Aged, 80 and over, Adolescent, Herpesvirus 4, Human/isolation \& purification, Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology",

author = "Bisheshar, \{Sangeeta K\} and Dams, \{Els T M\} and Mikel Chan and Lorian Slagter-Menkema and Harie Basdew and \{van der Sluis\}, Tineke and Mohamedradja-Taus, \{Rabia N\} and Ameerali, \{Dave P\} and Akrum, \{Ralph A E\} and Surya Sheorajpanday and Robert Mehilal and \{van Leeuwaarde\}, \{Rachel S\} and Devriese, \{Lot A\} and \{van Dijk\}, \{Boukje A C\} and Willems, \{Stefan M\} and \{van der Vegt\}, Bert and Breimer, \{Gerben E\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1200/GO-25-00045",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

journal = "JCO global oncology",

issn = "2687-8941",

publisher = "Lippincott Williams \& Wilkins",

}

Bisheshar, SK, Dams, ETM, Chan, M, Slagter-Menkema, L, Basdew, H, van der Sluis, T, Mohamedradja-Taus, RN, Ameerali, DP, Akrum, RAE, Sheorajpanday, S, Mehilal, R, van Leeuwaarde, RS, Devriese, LA, van Dijk, BAC, Willems, SM, van der Vegt, B & Breimer, GE 2025, 'Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname: An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021', JCO global oncology, vol. 11, e2500045. https://doi.org/10.1200/GO-25-00045

TY - JOUR

T1 - Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname

T2 - An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021

AU - Bisheshar, Sangeeta K

AU - Dams, Els T M

AU - Chan, Mikel

AU - Slagter-Menkema, Lorian

AU - Basdew, Harie

AU - van der Sluis, Tineke

AU - Mohamedradja-Taus, Rabia N

AU - Ameerali, Dave P

AU - Akrum, Ralph A E

AU - Sheorajpanday, Surya

AU - Mehilal, Robert

AU - van Leeuwaarde, Rachel S

AU - Devriese, Lot A

AU - van Dijk, Boukje A C

AU - Willems, Stefan M

AU - van der Vegt, Bert

AU - Breimer, Gerben E

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - PURPOSE: This study investigates the incidence and clinicopathologic characteristics of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the Surinamese population, with an emphasis on the burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).METHODS: Histologically confirmed HNC diagnosed between 2009 and 2021 were retrospectively collected from the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, the country's diagnostic pathology center. Additional clinical data were acquired from three other hospitals. Incidence rates were expressed as crude rates and age-adjusted World Standardized Rates per 100,000 population. Annual percentage changes (APCs) were calculated with Joinpoint regression software. HPV and EBV status were determined on pretreatment biopsies or resections of 263 patients from whom histopathologic material could be collected.RESULTS: Of 364 patients, 279 (76.6%) were male. A substantial increase in HNC incidence was observed (2012-2019: annual percentage change 6.8%). Oral cavity carcinoma was most common in the Hindustani population, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Maroon and Javanese populations, and laryngeal carcinoma (LC) in the Creole population. Patients with LC were more often smokers, whereas patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) more often consumed alcohol. Most patients presented with advanced-stage disease at diagnosis (73.0%). Among 60 OPCs, 21 (35.0%) were HPV positive, and among 47 NPCs 43 (91.4%) were EBV positive.CONCLUSION: An increase in HNC incidence in Suriname has been observed that appears to be unrelated to a rise in OPC and is likely due to better diagnostic modalities and increase in the number of ear, nose, and throat specialists. Ethnic and lifestyle differences are seen in HNC primary tumor sites. The high proportion of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis highlights the urgent need to raise disease awareness and prioritize early detection to improve survival outcomes.

AB - PURPOSE: This study investigates the incidence and clinicopathologic characteristics of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the Surinamese population, with an emphasis on the burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).METHODS: Histologically confirmed HNC diagnosed between 2009 and 2021 were retrospectively collected from the Academic Hospital Paramaribo, the country's diagnostic pathology center. Additional clinical data were acquired from three other hospitals. Incidence rates were expressed as crude rates and age-adjusted World Standardized Rates per 100,000 population. Annual percentage changes (APCs) were calculated with Joinpoint regression software. HPV and EBV status were determined on pretreatment biopsies or resections of 263 patients from whom histopathologic material could be collected.RESULTS: Of 364 patients, 279 (76.6%) were male. A substantial increase in HNC incidence was observed (2012-2019: annual percentage change 6.8%). Oral cavity carcinoma was most common in the Hindustani population, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Maroon and Javanese populations, and laryngeal carcinoma (LC) in the Creole population. Patients with LC were more often smokers, whereas patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) more often consumed alcohol. Most patients presented with advanced-stage disease at diagnosis (73.0%). Among 60 OPCs, 21 (35.0%) were HPV positive, and among 47 NPCs 43 (91.4%) were EBV positive.CONCLUSION: An increase in HNC incidence in Suriname has been observed that appears to be unrelated to a rise in OPC and is likely due to better diagnostic modalities and increase in the number of ear, nose, and throat specialists. Ethnic and lifestyle differences are seen in HNC primary tumor sites. The high proportion of advanced-stage disease at diagnosis highlights the urgent need to raise disease awareness and prioritize early detection to improve survival outcomes.

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Female

KW - Suriname/epidemiology

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Head and Neck Neoplasms/epidemiology

KW - Retrospective Studies

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Incidence

KW - Young Adult

KW - Aged, 80 and over

KW - Adolescent

KW - Herpesvirus 4, Human/isolation & purification

KW - Papillomavirus Infections/epidemiology

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013056766

U2 - 10.1200/GO-25-00045

DO - 10.1200/GO-25-00045

M3 - Article

C2 - 40768686

SN - 2687-8941

VL - 11

JO - JCO global oncology

JF - JCO global oncology

M1 - e2500045

ER -

Head and Neck Cancer in Suriname: An Epidemiologic Review of Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients Treated Between 2009 and 2021

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