Clinical characteristics of recurred oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck, and recurrence is an important prognostic factor in patients with OSCC, and takes around 85-90% of all Oral Cancers and may affect any anatomical site in the mouth. Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma has a low survival rate, 34 to 66% five-year survival after initial diagnosis, due to late diagnosis. Despite surgery, radiation and chemotherapy singularly or in combination, the fiveyear survival rate is poor, ultimately recurs in 25-48% of cases. Local and regional recurrences remain the most frequent recurrence types in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma, and its incidence depends mainly on the site of the tumor, clinical stage and pathologic characteristics. The aim of this study was to analyze retrospectively all the oral squamous cell carcinoma cases, treated surgically in the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea from 1991 until 2013 and clinicopathological characteristics that affect recurrence of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Total 308 patients with OSCC were found on medical records and selected 67 patients, 51 males and 16 females, mean age 56.7 years (range 19-76 years) diagnosed with recurrence of OSCC. Recurrence occurred at a median time of 1.8 years after the initial treatment, and more in male 51pts (16.6%), over the 60 (38%) year old than a female 16pts (5.2%). Status of nodal involvement, resection margin, perineural invasion and lymphovascular invasion were identified as factor influencing recurrence of OSCC. It is preventable, when may benefit from more radical surgery extended to selective or radical cervical lymph node dissection and more intensive surveillance during follow up and surgery, free flap application with postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the best option for improving the recurrence of the cancer and total survival times of patients.