OP136: Survival determinants in early stage oral cancer: Beyond clinical staging

Purpose Early stage (T1, T2: N0) squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is generally associated with a favorable prognosis. This study examines determinants of 5 year survival in Stage I and II oral cancer. Materials and methods A population based historical cohort of 343 patients with Stage I and II oral cancer was followed for a mean of 57.6 months (range 0–261). Survival analysis was done using Kaplan- Meier curves and log-rank test for comparing sub-groups. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the independent effect of age, gender, time to treatment, and treatment variables on 5-year survival. Results The mean age of the cohort was 65.0 years and 59.1% were males. The tongue and floor of mouth accounted for 67% of the tumors. The overall, disease specific, and disease free survival at 5 years was 66%, 78%, and 61% respectively. With univariate analysis T1 tumors ( P P P P P P P Conclusions Early stage oral cancer is potentially lethal. Time to treatment, initial treatment modality and clear margins in surgically treated patients have a greater impact on prognosis than clinical stage.