Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way
Published on: May 10, 2021
Genetic analysis of surgical margins in oral cavity cancer
S A Liu1,2,3, C C Wang1,2, R S Jiang1
1Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Background:
A histological, tumour-free surgical margin does not guarantee recurrence-free survival in patients with cancer. This study investigated the association between microsatellite alteration in tumour-free surgical margins and local recurrence in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods:
Patients with histologically confirmed oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled in this prospective study. Cancerous specimens, corresponding surgical margins and peripheral blood were obtained. Microsatellite alteration was investigated using six dinucleotide microsatellite markers. All samples were amplified by PCR, followed by automatic fragment analysis.
Results:
Microsatellite alteration was identified in 100 specimens (69·0 per cent) from 145 patients. Among them, 85 specimens carried loss of heterozygosity, whereas 55 had microsatellite instability (MSI). Patients with MSI at the surgical margin had a higher risk of local recurrence on multivariable analysis (odds ratio 7·17, 95 per cent c.i. 3·49 to 14·73).
Conclusion:
Molecular assessment of surgical margins can help identify patients at risk of local recurrence.
Related Concept Videos
Oral Cavity
Teeth: The teeth are the hardest structures in our bodies. Humans have two sets of teeth throughout their lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Each tooth consists of several parts: the crown (visible part), the root (embedded in the jaw), enamel (hard outer...
Margin of Error
Nose and Nasal Cavity
Cancer Survival Analysis
Genetics of Speciation
What is Population Genetics?

