Prognostic effect of surgical treatment in elderly oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: A retrospective study

Yuan Zhi; Shaoming Li; Yizhan Li; Wenhao Ren; Ling Gao; Keqian Zhi

doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106849

Prognostic effect of surgical treatment in elderly oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: A retrospective study

Oral Oncol. 2024 May 13:154:106849. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106849. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yuan Zhi¹, Shaoming Li¹, Yizhan Li¹, Wenhao Ren², Ling Gao³, Keqian Zhi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Key Lab of Oral Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Key Lab of Oral Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China. Electronic address: herohao@163.com.
³ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Key Lab of Oral Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China. Electronic address: coffee_smile@163.com.
⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstruction, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Key Lab of Oral Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 266555, Qingdao, Shandong, China; School of Stomatology, Qingdao University, 266003, Qingdao, Shandong, China. Electronic address: zhikeqianqd@qdu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38749112
DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106849

Abstract

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors in head and neck. However, few studies have focused on the postoperative prognosis of elderly OSCC patients undergoing surgical resection and reconstruction.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 349 patients diagnosed OSCC in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2016 to December 2022. Demographic and clinicopathological characteristics were recorded. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to identify the impact of age and reconstruction types on the prognosis of OSCC patients. Univariable regression analysis and multivariable Cox analysis were conducted to find independent prognostic factors of the younger and elderly OSCC patients.

Results: Among 349 OSCC patients included in this retrospective study, 241 (69.1 %) were elderly patients and 108 (30.9 %) were younger patients. The two groups were comparable according to the demographic records. The elderly group presented a better recurrence-specific prognosis than that of the younger group (RFS: p = 0.0324). There are no remarkable differences on the prognosis of different reconstructive types. Gender, current address, life habit, invasion patterns, and TNM stage were identified as independent prognostic factors of the younger and elderly OSCC patients.

Conclusion: Elderly OSCC patients achieve a better recurrence-free survival than that of the younger patients. Meanwhile, the recurrence of OSCC patients is independent of their demographic and clinicopathological features. Elderly OSCC patients will benefit from aggressive surgical treatment as the younger patients.

Keywords: Elderly patients; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Prognosis; Reconstructive type.