Profile of malignant disease in the mouth clinic

Between 1973 and 1981, 2,056 new patients were seen in the Mouth Clinic at Sunnybrook Hospital. Of these 109 proved to have malignant disease, with squamous cell carcinoma being the commonest type. Lower lip and floor of mouth were the most frequent sites. There was a high proportion of small tumors and local surgical excision was the most widely employed primary method of treatment. Radiation and combined treatment were used in larger lesions. Twenty-four patients have so far died of mouth cancer and the presence of enlarged lymph nodes at presentation was an ominous sign. Although containing the usual high proportion of heavy smokers and drinkers this group of patients at present exhibits a lower incidence of second primary malignancies than in some published series. It is concluded that surgery and radiotherapy have equivalent effectiveness in treating small primary lesions, where a policy of observation of the clinically negative neck appeared justified. The best treatment for large lesions and the most appropriate management of the clinically negative neck in intermediate size lesions has not been determined.