Clinical aspect and survival rates in subject with oral cancer : a retrospective cohort study

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe and evaluate survival in a group of patients with oral malignant neoplasias, observed at the Unit of Oral Pathology and Medicine, University of Milan, between February 1995 and September 2005. METHODS: This retrospective study considered the clinical histories and anamnestic profiles of a group of 108 patients with malignant oral neoplasms. A sample of 72 out of these 108 patients was identified, for whom follow-up data were available for at least 4 months from the date of diagnosis. Survival times for this group were then evaluated. RESULTS: In this group of 108 patients, 103 were affected by squamous cell carcinoma. The ratio of male to female patients was 1.1:1.0 and the average age at the time of diagnosis was 64.9 years. In 44 out of 91 cases, the site affected was the tongue and in 28 out of 45 cases, the lesion was at an early stage (TNM 1 and 2) at the time of diagnosis. Survival in the group of 72 considered was 84% at 2 years from diagnosis and 55% at 5 years. Diagnosis before the age of 65 favoured a positive prognosis (P=0.01), as did lesions diagnosed at TNM 1 stage, though this was not statistically significant (P=0.1). CONCLUSION: The data provided in this retrospective study were consistent with previous reports of survival rates at 5 years from diagnosis and the improved prognosis for patients diagnosed before the age of 65. The only finding that was different from previous studies was the gender distribution, which in this study was almost equal.