Correlation between clinical and pathological data and surgical margins in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

The importance of having tumor-free margins when resecting oral neoplasms has been known for decades. OBJECTIVE: To correlate clinical and pathology data to surgical margin status in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and floor of the mouth. METHOD: This historical cohort cross-sectional study included all patients submitted to squamous cell carcinoma resection for tumors of the oral tongue and floor of the mouth between 2007 and 2011 at the Head and Neck Surgery service of our institution. RESULTS: In the 117 cases included, 68.3% had tongue tumors. The male-to-female ratio was 2.3:1 and patient mean age was 57.6 years. Broad free resection margins were seen in 23.0% of the cases; narrow margins in 60.6% of the cases; and compromised margins in 16.2%. Tumor diameter and thickness were correlated to resection margins. Tumors in more advanced T-stages presented more unsatisfactory margins. Patients operated with broad free margins had their tumors resected more commonly through transoral approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Tumors of larger volume both in terms of diameter and thickness were more correlated to unsatisfactory resection margins. Higher complexity procedures were not associated with better resection margins.