Professional paper

Oral cavity and oropharyngeal carcinoma – sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of surgically managed patients at the Clinics for maxillofacial and oral surgery of the Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka

Margita Belušić-Gobić ; Klinika za maksilofacijalnu i oralnu kirurgiju, KBC RIjeka, Rijeka
Mirna Juretić ; Klinika za maksilofacijalnu i oralnu kirurgiju, KBC RIjeka, Rijeka
Robert Cerović ; Klinika za maksilofacijalnu i oralnu kirurgiju, KBC RIjeka, Rijeka
Mate Rogić ; Klinika za maksilofacijalnu i oralnu kirurgiju, KBC RIjeka, Rijeka

Abstract

Aim: To examine the social and demographic characteristics of patients with oral cancer, clinical characteristics of the tumour and the incidence of certain types of surgical treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical history of 195 patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Results: Most patients were male (76.9 %), whereas 23.1 % of patients were female. The median age was 61 years. More than two thirds of patients (67 %) consumed alcohol, and 70 % of patients were smokers. The most common comorbidity was cardiovascular disease (35.9 %). The two most common and equally frequent localizations of the carcinoma were the floor of the mouth and retromolar region with the palatine tonsils, each with frequency of 23.6 %. Most patients (53.8 %) had a T2 tumour size and 53.8 % of them had N0 neck lymph node status, whereas 46.2 % of patients had metastases in the neck. The least number of patients had Stage I disease (9.2 %), whereas the other three stages were almost equally represented. Only 14.9 % of patients were treated with intraoral tumour excision (without neck dissection and without resection of the mandible), and 45.6 % of patients had the most extensive surgery “commando with segmental resection of the mandible”. Only 21.5 % of patients did not need reconstruction for the postoperative closure of the defect, whereas the reconstruction was necessary in 78.4 % of patients. The most common reconstruction was with regional flap “pectoralis major muscle” in 46.64 % of cases. Postoperative temporary tracheostoma was performed in 71.2 % patients. Only 12 patients (6.15 %) did not need nasogastric tube or gastrostomy after surgery. Blood transfusion was not needed in 82.56 % patients during and after the surgery. Conclusion: This study shows that patients with oral cancer rarely come at an early stage of the disease, although the majority of the oral cavity cancers are very visible and accessible. Early detection of the oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer reduce morbidity, mortality and increase quality of life of these patients. Advanced oral cancer treatment require major surgery, greater mutilation and have worse prognosis.

Keywords

mandible resection; oral cancer; TNM staging

Hrčak ID:

118542

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/118542

Publication date:

3.3.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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