Abstract
BackgroundOral cancer is very common in India. The reported 5-year survival of such patients is around 50% after treatment with surgery and radiotherapy, much lower than most of the developed countries.MethodsA retrospective study of a prospective database of oral cancer patients undergoing surgery from June 2009 to June 2013 was conducted. Follow-up details were updated from case records and by phone calls. Data were double entered in EpiData Entry version 3.1 and were analysed using EpiData Analysis software 2.1.0.73.ResultsTwo-hundred and twenty patients were analysed (136 males); 85% were consuming tobacco, mainly in chewable form. The majority (51.1%) had tongue cancer, of whom 75 patients (34.1%) had T4 tumours. Postoperative radiotherapy was given to 108 patients (49.1%). Forty had recurrence, of which 23 were in early stage. Of these, 19 showed node positivity (p < 0.01). Node-negative patients had 79% 5-year survival while node positive had 59% which is comparable to that reported in developed countries. Median disease-free survival duration was 48.2 months.ConclusionsNode positivity is the single factor affecting recurrence and survival. The overall survival and disease-free survival is better in patients without lymph node involvement and in patients with early stage of cancer as compared to the patients with node involvement and in advanced stages.
Highlights
Oral cancer is very common in India
The prevalence of oral cancer is high among the Southeast Asian countries due to the wide use of tobacco products, especially in the chewable form [13]
In India, oral cancer is one of the commonest cancers in both sexes, accounting for 30% of the overall cancer burden, which is likely to increase in the future [18]
Summary
Oral cancer is very common in India. The prevalence of oral cancer is high among the Southeast Asian countries due to the wide use of tobacco products, especially in the chewable form [13]. Oral cancer patients are treated primarily by surgery in stages 1 and 2 and by surgery with adjuvant therapy in stage 3 and 4 [4]. Despite the various treatment modalities available, the overall 5-year survival rate after treatment of oral cancer (all the stages included) is around 50% [12]. Recurrence is known to occur in about 35% of patients treated for oral cancer [17]. Recurrent cancer patients have lesser chances of survival [3]. There is little recent literature on survival and recurrence of oral cancer patients in India, most of them being single centre studies. A recent large prospective randomised trial evaluating the effect of elective node
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