Indications for postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with other risk features in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: To investigate the clinical impact of other risk features patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and analyze the indication criteria for postoperative adjuvant therapy.Study design: This single-center, retrospective study included 194 patients who underwent primary surgery with simultaneous radical or elective neck dissections for OSCC between April 2001 and March 2024. Survival outcomes were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method, followed by Cox regression and log-rank tests.Results: No significant differences were observed in 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS), overall survival (OS), or recurrence-free survival (RFS) between patients with and without other risk features. Multivariate analysis identified pathological (p) T classification and lymphatic invasion (LI) as significant (p<0.05) independent risk factors for DSS and OS. Postoperative adjuvant therapy did not improve DSS in patients with ≥pT3 classification or LI. The surgical salvage rate was higher for surgery alone than for surgery followed by adjuvant therapy (38.9% vs. 25%). Osteoradionecrosis developed and was treated with surgery in three of eight patients.Conclusion: Patients with ≥pT3 classification or LI were at greater risk; however, postoperative adjuvant therapy did not yield additional benefit. Therefore, a wait-and-see policy may be adequate regarding associated salvage rates and adverse events.
Source: Oncology Letters
Institutions: Nagasaki University, Hiroshima University
Language: English
Topic: Head and Neck Cancer Studies
Subfield: Otorhinolaryngology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414352103