Tumor volume as an independent predictive factor of worse survival in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Head & neck Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 960 - 964
• Main Authors: Lin, Chin Shien, Oliveira Santos, André Bandiera, Silva, Evandro Lima e, de Matos, Leandro Luongo, Moyses, Raquel Ajub, Kulcsar, Marco Aurélio Vamondes, Pinto, Fábio Roberto, Brandão, Lenine Garcia, Cernea, Claudio Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Aged; carcinoma; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - therapy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Middle Aged; mouth neoplasms; Mouth Neoplasms - mortality; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - therapy; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - epidemiology; prognosis; Risk Factors; squamous cell carcinoma; Survival Rate; Tumor Burden; tumor burden; carcinoma; mouth neoplasms; prognosis; squamous cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 1043-3074; 1097-0347
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.24714

ABSTRACT Background The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of tumor volume in the prognosis of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods One hundred twenty‐three patients with T4a oral cavity SCCs underwent surgical treatment. The volumes of the primary cancer were calculated by the multiplication of 3 macroscopic dimensions of the surgical specimen and related to recurrence and death. Results There were 54 recurrences (43.9%) and 75 deaths (60.9%). The mean tumor volume among the patients living without disease during the follow‐up period was 28.2 cc, compared to 88.2 cc for patients living with disease, and to 78.9 cc for patients who died of the disease (p < .001). Multivariate analyses showed that volume and perineural invasion were independent factors for recurrence, whereas volume and lymph node metastasis were independent factors for death. Conclusion Among patients who already have advanced cancers, tumor volume can significantly impact their prognoses. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 960–964, 2017