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Updated: Dec 27, 2025
Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way
Published on: May 10, 2021
Risk factors associated with positive resection margins in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma
Nicholas J Skertich1, John F Tierney1, Sitaram V Chivukula1
1Department of Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison, Suite 785, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
Background:
Positive resection margins are associated with worse survival after surgery for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). We aimed to identify risk factors for positive margins post-resection.
Methods:
The NCDB was queried for ACC patients from 2006 to 2015. Patients with positive versus negative resection margins post-surgery were compared using Chi-square tests. Survival based on adjuvant treatment was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves.
Results:
1,973 patients with ACC were identified, 217 (11.0%) with positive margins. Multivariable analysis identified extra-adrenal extension (HR 4.92, p < 0.001), lymph node metastases (HR 2.64, p = 0.001), and distant metastases (HR 1.53, p = 0.03) as risk factors for positive margins. No significant difference in margin status existed between patients who had an open versus minimally invasive procedure (p = 0.6). Positive margin patients receiving adjuvant radiation (p = 0.007) or combined chemo-radiation (p = 0.001) had the longest survival.
Conclusion:
No modifiable risk factors were identified, but patients with positive margins receiving adjuvant radiation or chemo-radiation had the longest survival.
