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Updated: Aug 7, 2025
Intraoperative Assessment of Resection Margins in Oral Cavity Cancer: This is the Way
Published on: May 10, 2021
Management and Oncologic Outcomes of Close and Positive Margins after Transoral CO2 Laser Microsurgery for Early
Cinzia Mariani1, Filippo Carta1, Mauro Bontempi1
1Unit of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Cagliari, University of Cagliari, 09100 Cagliari, Italy.
Background:
The present study analyzed the impact of margin status on local control and survival, and the management of close/positive margins after transoral CO2 laser microsurgery for early glottic carcinoma.
Methods:
351 patients (328 males, 23 females, mean age 65.6 years) underwent surgery. We identified the following margin statuses: negative, close superficial (CS), close deep (CD), positive single superficial (SS), positive multiple superficial (MS), and positive deep (DEEP).
Results:
A total of 286 patients (81.5%) had negative margins, 23 (6.5%) had close margins (8 CS, 15 CD) and 42 (12%) had positive margins (16 SS, 9 MS, 17 DEEP). Among the 65 patients with close/positive margins, 44 patients underwent enlargement, 6 radiotherapy and 15 follow-up. Twenty-two patients (6.3%) recurred. Patients with DEEP or CD margins showed a higher risk of recurrence (hazard ratios of 2.863 and 2.537, respectively), compared to patients with negative margins. Local control with laser alone, overall laryngeal preservation and disease-specific survival decreased significantly in patients with DEEP margins (57.5%, 86.9% and 92.9%, p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Patients with CS or SS margins could be safely submitted to follow-up. In the case of CD and MS margins, any additional treatment should be discussed with the patient. In the case of DEEP margin, additional treatment is always recommended.
