Lip carcinoma: clinical presentation, surgical treatment, and outcome: a series of 108 cases from Denmark

• Published in: Journal of plastic surgery and hand surgery Vol. 51; no. 5; pp. 342 - 347
• Main Authors: Kristensen, Rasmus N., Stemann Andersen, Peter, Lock-Andersen, Jørgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Taylor & Francis 03.09.2017
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; basal cell carcinoma; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - surgery; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Cause of Death; Cohort Studies; complications; Denmark; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Humans; Lip - surgery; Lip neoplasms; Lip Neoplasms - mortality; Lip Neoplasms - pathology; Lip Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Prognosis; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures - methods; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; squamous cell carcinoma; surgery; Survival Analysis; Lip neoplasms; basal cell carcinoma; complications; squamous cell carcinoma; surgery
• ISSN: 2000-656X; 2000-6764
• DOI: 10.1080/2000656X.2016.1270215

Objective: Lip carcinomas are among the most common malignant tumours of the head and neck region but reports on the course and outcome of this disease are mainly based on Mediterranean, South American, and Oceanian populations. The aim of the study was to describe the treatment and outcome of patients with lip carcinoma at a Danish department of plastic surgery. Method: We conducted a single institution retrospective cohort study including patients with primary cancer of the lips including squamous cell (SCC), basal cell (BCC), and basosquamous carcinomas (BSC) in a 5-year period. Results: We included 108 consecutive patients. Median age was 72 years (range 28 -98) and 58% were male. Seventy patients (65%) were diagnosed with SCC, 36 (33%) BCC, and 2 (2%) BSC. The majority of lesions were stage T1 (84%) and T2 (11%). An unexpected total of 35 (32%) patients experienced wound healing problems; whereof 19 (54%) classified as mild (not demanding treatment), 10 (29%) as moderate (non-functional surgical corrections or medical treatment of infection needed) and 6 (17%) experienced severe dehiscence (requiring surgical intervention for functional improvement). Total defect size ≥20 mm and full thickness excision was directly correlated to the risk of early postoperative complications (p-value: 0.03 and 0.04). Three patients (2/36 with BCC; 6% and 1/70 with SCC; 1%) developed local recurrence and five patients with SCC (5/70; 7%) developed regional lymph node metastases. One patient (1%) died from metastatic SCC. Conclusion: This study confirms that lip carcinoma is associated with a risk of recurrence and mortality. However, the risk of wound complications is notable compared to other series.