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Updated: Jun 9, 2025
A Model for Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: January 5, 2017
Evaluating Depth of Invasion as a Continuous Prognostic Factor in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Nofar Edri1,2, Dean Dudkiewicz1,2, Dan Yaniv1,2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel.
Background:
Depth of invasion (DOI) has a significant clinical impact on the staging system of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We aimed to compare the prognostic impact of treating DOI as a continuous variable rather than a categorical one.
Methods:
A retrospective review of 277 OSCC patients surgically treated in a tertiary care center from 2000 to 2020, with a minimum 2-year follow-up. The analyses were performed using Cox and logistic regression.
Results:
DOI as a continuous variable significantly predicted mortality in both univariate (p < 0.001) and multivariate (p < 0.001) analyses. It was also a significant predictor of locoregional recurrence (multivariate p = 0.039) and occult lymph node metastasis (univariate p = 0.005, multivariate p = 0.04). Categorical analysis failed to demonstrate the same significance.
Conclusions:
DOI as a continuous factor rather than a categorical one is significantly associated with mortality, locoregional recurrence, and occult lymph node metastasis. This innovative approach promotes personalized risk stratification and better decision-making.
