Does anatomic subsite influence oral cavity cancer mortality? A SEER database analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Head and Neck Cancer Research

Background:

• Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is a significant health concern.
• Mortality rates for OCSCC can vary based on the specific location within the oral cavity.
• Understanding subsite-specific differences is essential for effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate disparities in cause-specific mortality (CSM) for OCSCC across different oral cavity subsites.
• To identify specific oral cavity subsites associated with higher or lower OCSCC mortality.
• To inform prognosis counseling and guide future research directions for OCSCC.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 20,647 OCSCC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 9 database.
• Utilized proportional hazards regression to assess 5-year CSM, controlling for treatment, stage, and demographics.
• Examined associations between OC subsites and 5-year CSM, with significance set at alpha = 0.05.

Main Results:

• Floor of mouth and oral tongue were the most frequent OCSCC diagnoses.
• Floor of mouth, upper gum, and retromolar trigone subsites showed lower CSM compared to oral tongue.
• Increased CSM was linked to not receiving surgery, receiving radiation, advanced cancer stage, older age, and Black race.

Conclusions:

• Patients with oral tongue OCSCC have a higher likelihood of CSM than those with OCSCC in the floor of mouth, upper gum, or retromolar trigone.
• Recognizing subsite-specific mortality differences is vital for OCSCC patient management.
• Subsite-specific insights can improve prognosis counseling and direct targeted research for better OCSCC outcomes.