Comparative evaluation of non-surgical and surgical treatment modalities for oral cancer

Oral cancer treatment decisions between surgery and non-surgical approaches critically impact survival and quality of life outcomes worldwide. This retrospective cohort study compared surgical treatment (n=98) versus definitive chemoradiotherapy (n=82) in 180 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed 2017-2021. The surgical group demonstrated superior 3-year overall survival (68.4% vs 52.4%, p=0.018) and disease-free survival (61.2% vs 44.0%, p=0.012). Locoregional recurrence was significantly lower with surgery (24.5% vs 39.0%, p=0.032), while distant metastasis rates remained comparable (14.3% vs 17.1%, p=0.608). Surgery provides superior oncologic outcomes for early, localised oral squamous cell carcinoma, while non-surgical options remain valuable for inoperable cases or significant comorbidities.