Influence of bone invasion and extent of mandibular resection on local control of cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

Bone invasion alone had little influence on outcome, but involvement of soft tissue margins predicted local recurrence and shorter survival.

Main

O'Brien CJ, Adams JR et al. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2003; 32: 492–497

The degree of bone invasion has a significant effect on decisions regarding the treatment of mandibular tumours. Treatment complexity and morbidity are increased with larger surgical resections. In this study, data from a Sydney hospital over a 13 yr period were reviewed from 94 patients after marginal resections (a relatively conservative procedure), and 33 after segmental resections.

The tumour site was the floor of the mouth in 56 cases and the oropharynx in 17. Bone invasion was present in 17 marginally, and 21 segmentally, resected tumours. After 2 yrs, disease-free survival was 73% and 76% respectively for subjects with and without bone invasion. However, the 5 yr local control rates for clear and positive margins were significantly different at 89% and 64% respectively. There was no significant effect of conservative surgery on survival.