A population-based study of prognostic factors in oral and oropharyngeal cancer

Cases of oral cavity and oropharynx cancer diagnosed among the residents of Torino, Italy, between 1982 and 1984 (n = 143) were followed up to June 1990. During this period, 97 subjects (67.8%) died, 69 from oral or oropharyngeal cancer. 10 more cases died from causes possibly related to oral cancer. The overall relative 5-year survival rate was 37.2%. Men experienced a worse survival than women. No difference was shown according to age, education or occupation. Patients with smooth lesions had a poorer prognosis than those with fissured or granular lesions; no association between survival and colour, elevation, induration or bleeding from the lesion was found. Extension of the tumour and nodal involvement were strong and independent predictors of survival, but no difference was found between T1 and T2 lesions. Patients who reported a 2-3-month interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis experienced a better survival than those with shorter or longer interval. Oropharynx cases had a better prognosis than cancers of the oral cavity.