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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way
Published on: May 10, 2021
Clinicopathological parameters and outcome of 245 patients operated for oral squamous cell carcinoma
Paolo Garzino-Demo1, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Paola Dalmasso
1Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Italy. paologrz@tiscalinet.it
Introduction:
This report analysed the outcome of patients undergoing surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma in order to identify the prognostic value of several factors.
Patients:
A total of 245 patients were studied who had undergone surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma between 1989 and 2002, of whom 109 had received postoperative radiation therapy.
Methods:
For each patient, personal data, alcohol and tobacco consumption, symptoms, 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 245 patients was 63% (72.5% at 3 years). The differences in the 5-year survival were significant (p<0.05) for the site of origin, N and pN status, TNM stage, grading, status of the resection margins, osseous infiltration, and perineural invasion. Vascular involvement as a discriminator was not statistically significant. In patients undergoing radiation therapy, only perineural invasion negatively influenced the 5-year survival prognosis (p<0.01).
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' is promising.