Clinicopathological parameters and outcome of 115 (T1–T2) oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Introduction

This study analysed the outcome of patients undergoing surgery for T1–T2 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in order to identify the prognostic value of several clinical characteristics.

Materials and methods

A total of 115 patients were studied who had undergone surgery for OSCC between 1992 and 2001, of which 25 had received postoperative radiotherapy.

For each patient, personal data, age at first OSCC, histological findings, treatment, and outcome were recorded and analysed statistically. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier algorithm, and the difference in survival among subgroups was examined.

Results

The overall 5-year survival rate in the 115 patients was 82%. Clinical, operative and pathological parameters including recurrence, site of origin, vascular, perineural and osseous involvement and length of surgery as discriminators were found to affect survival at 5 years.

Conclusion

The overall survival rate was within the (previously) reported range. The prognostic value of many parameters is widely recognized; the combined evaluation of 'composite factors' might uncover other clinical characteristics which might affect the survival in this group of patients.