Published in:
01-11-2010 | Head and Neck Oncology
Tongue and Buccal Mucosa Carcinoma: Is There a Difference in Outcome?
Authors:
Chun-Ta Liao, MD, Shiang-Fu Huang, MD, I-How Chen, MD, Chung-Jan Kang, Chien-Yu Lin, MD, Kang-Hsing Fan, MD, Hung-Ming Wang, MD, Shu-Hang Ng, MD, Chuen Hsueh, MD, Li-Yu Lee, MD, Chih-Hung Lin, Tzu-Chen Yen, MD, PhD
Published in:
Annals of Surgical Oncology
|
Issue 11/2010
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Abstract
Background
We sought to determine the differences in clinical outcome of tongue and buccal carcinomas.
Methods
Five-year locoregional control, distant metastasis, and survival rates were examined in 456 patients with tongue cancer and 407 patients with buccal cancer.
Results
Five-year rates for patients with tongue and buccal carcinomas were as follows: local control, 85% and 87% (P = 0.9366); neck control, 81% and 87% (P = 0.0304); distant metastasis, 8% and 14% (P = 0.0052); disease-free survival, 70% and 72% (P = 0.9978); disease-specific survival, 79% and 78% (P = 0.2435), respectively. After stratification according to pathological lymph node status, patients with buccal cancer and pN0/pNx disease (without neck dissection) had a higher 5-year neck control rate than those with tongue cancer (93% versus 86%, P = 0.0115). In contrast, buccal cancer with pN+ disease had a higher 5-year distant metastasis rate compared with tongue cancer (30% versus 18%, P = 0.0231). In pN0/pNx subjects, neck control was predicted by perineural invasion and the absence of neck dissection in tongue cancer, and by poor differentiation in buccal cancer. In pN+ patients, distant metastases were predicted by pT3–4 disease, age at onset ≤40 years, poor differentiation, and pN+ ≥ 5 nodes in tongue cancer, and by poor differentiation and pN+ ≥ 5 nodes in buccal cancer.
Conclusions
There are significant differences in the failure pattern of tongue and buccal carcinomas. Prognostic models for these malignancies should allow stratification of patients for a risk-adapted approach to treatment.