Improvement in Survival Rates and Quality of Life Among Patients Surgically Treated for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity

Abstract

Abstract Purpose The study aimed to assess if outcomes for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients have improved, and if so, whether these improvements correlate with changes in diagnostic and therapeutic methods over time. Methods Retrospective study including patients surgically treated for OSCC between 2002 and 2020. Results Among the 193 consecutive patients with primary OSCC who met the inclusion criteria (median age 66; 60.4% male), 80 (41.4%) were treated between 2002 and 2011, and 113 (58.6%) between 2011 and 2020. Multivariate analysis showed a significant improvement in overall survival rates from 2012 to 2020, compared with the period from 2002 to 2011 (HR for death, 0.33; 95% CI 0.17–0.67). Similar observations have emerged in progression-free and disease-specific survival. When stratified by stage, the improvement was found to be significant only for advanced stages. The use of NBI during both preoperative and operative setting as well as margin mapping significantly increased over the time. Both patients with early and advanced-stage OSCC treated between 2012 and 2020 exhibited improved pain scores. Conclusions Despite the shift to less invasive surgeries, our analysis shows significant improvement over time, especially in advanced-stage diseases, highlighting the impact of evolving strategies on challenging cases.