Locally advanced oral tongue cancer: Is organ preservation a safe option in resource-limited high-volume setting?

Background: Oral tongue is found to be the most common intraoral subsite with worse prognosis despite the use of multimodality treatments. Extensive resections have resulted in loss of form and function of tongue in advanced tumors. The objective of the study was to analyze the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in intermediate to advanced staged oral tongue cancer for organ preservation and survival outcome in a developing country. Materials and Methods: The records of oral tongue cancer patients treated from 2007 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Eighty-one oral tongue cancer patients with advanced stage were treated using induction arm in 10 years. The median follow-up was 24 months with 3- and 5-year survival of 77% and 58%, respectively. IC has an overall response in 87% of the patients at primary site. The chemotherapy has completely resolved the nodal disease in 17% of the patients, but 23% of the patients had failed to respond. Only 21% of the patients received reconstruction using local or regional flaps. Conclusion: IC has shown encouraging results in advanced staged oral tongue cancers with function preservation and improved survival outcome in less privileged high-volume centers.