INTRA-ORAL AND LOWER LIP SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE LYMPHOCYTIC HOST RESPONSE

Abstract

Objectives To compare the effect of lymphocytic host response (LHR) in the prognosis of patients with tongue and/or floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma (TFMSCC) and with lower lip squamous cell carcinoma (LLSCC). Study Design Records and slides from 179 patients were evaluated according to the histopathologic risk assessment (HRA) to LHR and submitted to bivariate (chi-square) and survival (Kaplan-Meier and log-rank) analyses. Results White male smokers at initial cTNM were the most affected, in both the TFMSCC and LLSCC. Tumors with strong LHR (61.9%) predominated and were classified as intermediate risk (56.9%) by AHR for TFMSCC and LLSCC. Associations between dense continuous band of LHR and smoking (P = .019), tumors located in the tongue or lower lip (P ≤ .0001), initial pTNM (P ≤ .0001), no recurrence (P = .021), moderately differentiated tumors (P = .001), and intermediate risk by AHR (P ≤ .0001) were observed. Patients with weak LHR had poor overall survival (OS) (P ≤ .0001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P = .002). Conclusions For both lower lip cancer and intraoral cancer, the presence of a strong LHR demonstrates a favorable effect for OS and DFS and proved to be an important prognostic factor for these patients. To compare the effect of lymphocytic host response (LHR) in the prognosis of patients with tongue and/or floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma (TFMSCC) and with lower lip squamous cell carcinoma (LLSCC). Records and slides from 179 patients were evaluated according to the histopathologic risk assessment (HRA) to LHR and submitted to bivariate (chi-square) and survival (Kaplan-Meier and log-rank) analyses. White male smokers at initial cTNM were the most affected, in both the TFMSCC and LLSCC. Tumors with strong LHR (61.9%) predominated and were classified as intermediate risk (56.9%) by AHR for TFMSCC and LLSCC. Associations between dense continuous band of LHR and smoking (P = .019), tumors located in the tongue or lower lip (P ≤ .0001), initial pTNM (P ≤ .0001), no recurrence (P = .021), moderately differentiated tumors (P = .001), and intermediate risk by AHR (P ≤ .0001) were observed. Patients with weak LHR had poor overall survival (OS) (P ≤ .0001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P = .002). For both lower lip cancer and intraoral cancer, the presence of a strong LHR demonstrates a favorable effect for OS and DFS and proved to be an important prognostic factor for these patients.