Paediatric cancers of the head and neck: An umbrella review

Paediatric head and neck cancer relates to malignancies of the sinuses, nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx or larynx in children. The objective of this umbrella review was to collate the existing literature regarding prevalence, diagnosis and management of paediatric head and neck cancer. Two independent reviewers searched Pubmed, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Emcare, and Cochrane using a pre-established search strategy. Included systematic reviews (SRs) concerned individuals under 20 years of age, with the diagnosis of a primary malignant lesion of the head and neck. Each review was critically appraised with the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tool for SRs; data were tabulated and narratively summarised. Nine systematic reviews (SRs) were eligible for inclusion, of which six included a meta-analysis. Systematic reviews predominantly focused on the prevalence and survival characteristics of PHNC. Australian and African data were least represented across the included SRs whilst the Americas and Asia comprised most of the reported data. A higher prevalence of overall PHNC was observed in males, whereas salivary gland tumours alone had a slight predilection for females. The tonsillar fossa was the most common subsite, followed by the salivary glands and oral cavity. Surgical intervention as a standalone or primary option was the most common treatment modality, except in the case of laryngeal sarcomas, where most treatment choices involved surgery with adjuvant chemoradiation. This is the first comprehensive systematic review of systematic reviews regarding PHNC. Further research output is required from under-reported countries to better understand epidemiological trends. Low heterogeneity and non-homogenous reporting methods are limiting factors, the use of definite anatomic staging and classification systems should be adopted to facilitate further understanding of this topic. CRD42022313178