[Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip survival rate]

Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) of the lip represents about 20% of all oral carcinomas. It is more common in men, peaking during their sixth and seventh decade, and is more prevalent in the lower lip.

To determine the five years survival rate of Chilean patients with lip SCC.

The registry of the Chilean National Cancer Institute was reviewed to retrieve the clinical records of patients with lip SCC. Information about age, sex, alcohol consumption, smoking, degree of pathological differentiation, lip location, type of treatment and metastases was recorded. Survival was determined with death certificates from the National Identification Service.

Seventy four patients were identified. Their 5-year survival was 73%.

The survival rate of this group of patients is lower than that of patients from Unites States who have an 89.5% survival, according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the North American National Cancer Institute.