Oral squamous cell carcinoma: Review of prognostic and predictive factors

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology and endodontics Vol. 102; no. 1; pp. 67 - 76
• Main Authors: Massano, João, Regateiro, Frederico S., Januário, Gustavo, Ferreira, Artur
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Louis, MO Mosby, Inc 01.07.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - chemistry; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Dentistry; Early Diagnosis; Humans; Lymph Node Excision; Lymphatic Metastasis; Medical sciences; Mouth Neoplasms - chemistry; Mouth Neoplasms - genetics; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Neoplasm, Residual; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Papillomaviridae - isolation & purification; Prognosis; Sex Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Prognosis; Stomatology; Oral cavity disease; Malignant tumor; Review; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Predictive factor; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 1079-2104; 1528-395X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2005.07.038

Oral squamous cell carcinoma has a remarkable incidence worldwide and a fairly onerous prognosis, encouraging further research on factors that might modify disease outcome. In this review article, the authors approach the factors that may exert influence on the prognosis and eventually guide the selection of patients for more aggressive therapies. Published scientific data was collected, selected, and grouped into 3 main clusters: patient-, tumor-, and treatment-related factors. Well established aspects are discussed, but also those less common or with only supposed usefulness. Disease staging, extracapsular dissemination, resection margin free of disease, and tumor thickness are factors with high influence on the prognosis. There has been an increasing interest in the study of tumor molecular factors, and some have been strongly correlated with the outcome, showing promising pathways for the future development of more effective prognosis systems and anticancer therapies.