PP149: Experience of the lip cancer treatment in latvian oncological center: 10 year review

Purpose A review of 201 patients who were diagnosed with lip cancer from 2001 to was undertaken to analyse the epidemiological data, to compare the results of surgical and radiation therapy and evaluate long term follow-up. Material and methods From 2001 to 2011, 201 patients (151 males and 50 females) with a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip were treated. Median age of patients was 65,4 years. 88 patients (43.7%) had I stage disease, 68 patients (33.9%) – II stage, 30 patients – III stage and 15 patients (7.5%) IV stage disease. At presentation, regional lymph nodes were clinically negative in 181 patients.100 patients underwent surgical excision as a primary treatment. Vermilionectomy was performed to five patients. “V” excision were performed to 63 patients, Reconstruction by Abbe flap was performed to 22 patients. Estlander method to four patients. According to J. Liu modified labila tissue sliding flaps for repairing lower lip defects were used in three cases, “stair case technique” were used in three cases. The cases classified as T3 (defects of 65–80%) were reconstructed with cheek advancement flaps in different types (Webster Bernard approach, Karapandzic technique, “Fan flap”) and nasolabial flap also. Microsurgical repair was used in five cases of total lip defect. 56 patients had radiotherapy as the primary mode of therapy and 45 patients received combined method of treatment (surgery and irradiation). In the patients group with clinically negative neck at the first attendance (181 patients), in the follow-up delayed cervical lymph node metastases developed in 12 patients (6.6%) within 2 years of follow-up. 32 patients underwent different types of neck dissections. Results The results of surgery were generally good Recurrence of primary tumor developed in 28 patients (13.9%) and was strongly associated with large tumor size, comissure tumors and poor differentiation. The determinate mean survival rate was found to be 82.4% at 2 yar follow-up. Conclusions We recommend surgery as the primary method of treatment because of the availability of histologically accurate tumour margin assessment and the short rehabilitation period.