Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
-
J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. · Jun 2015
How does the close surgical margin impact recurrence and survival when treating oral squamous cell carcinoma?
The surgical margin is the main prognostic factor over which the surgeon has control during resection of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study examined the association between surgical excision margins of patients with OSCC and outcomes of disease-free and overall survival. ⋯ The results suggest that the presence of a close surgical margin (1 to 5 mm) is an adverse risk feature comparable to an involved margin and therefore is associated with decreased disease-free and overall survival. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings before they can be used as a basis for clinical recommendations.