Factors related to survival from oral cancers in Andalusian population M. Vallecillo, M. Romero, M.V. Olmedo, C. Reyes, V. Bustos

Medicina Oral Patologia Oral y Cirugía Bucal 2007: 12: 342–8 The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the influence of different factors on survival in a series of patients treated of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Two hundred and sixteen patients treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Granada (Spain) between 1994 and 1999 were retrospectively studied. Diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma affecting the oral cavity in all cases. Age ranged between 21 and 96 years. 75.9% of cases were male and 24.1% female. The 42 identified variables in the five groups were analyzed (personal data, site, type of lesion, stage and risk factors). Survival was studied according to Kaplan Meier method. Statistical analysis included the Breslow test as well as a Cox multivariant analysis.

Survival data were registered in 188 patients out of 216. 44 patients died due to oncologic diseases (23.4%). Average survival was 2088 days. 101 tumours were located in the tongue, which was the most frequent location followed by the floor of the mouth, gingiva, retromolar area and palate. Among other results, the mean survival in N0 N1 patients was statistically higher than in N2 patients. Mortality was higher in cases located in the gingiva or retromolar area than in lesions affecting the palate or tongue. Risk of death related to the tumour was 1.81 times higher in T3-T4 patients than in T1-T2 patients. Patients affected by previous neoplasms showed higher survival than those affected only by primary tumours (p = 0.059).

The authors concluded that factors like location of the tumour, antecedent neoplastic lesions, size of the tumour and cervical stages are related to the patients’ survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

JULIO ACERO