A retrospective study of 51 oral cancer patients at the Jordan University Hospital

(1984 - 1998)

 

Burgan SZ, EL Maaytah M, AL Masad JK, Farah GR, AL Zaben J

 

 Cairo Dental Journal, vol 18 (1): 9-13, 2002.

 

ABSTRACT

This retrospective study was conducted to determine diagnosis, treatment and survival of 51 consecutive patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas treated at the Jordan University Hospital between 1984 and 1998. Male patients predominated (84%), with a mean age of 63.4 years. Seventy one percent were current smokers, and 12% drank alcohol. Most patients (84%) were symptomatic at presentation and the tongue was more frequently involved. Many (71%) presented with stage III-IV tumors, and 63% had lymph node metastases. Nodal involvement increased significantly from 40% in T1 to 82% in T2. Floor of the mouth lesions had the worst prognosis. The overall 2-year survival rate was 47%, which fell with increasing stage from 80% (I-II) to 33% (III-IV), and with the progression of tumour size from 73% (T1) to 9% (T4). Patients presented with no evidence of nodal disease had better survival (74%) than those with nodal disease (31%). Survival also fell from 59% in grade I-II to 8% in grade III-IV. Patients treated with surgery (54%) or with postoperative radiotherapy (50%) had better survival than those treated only with radiotherapy (20%). It is concluded that tumor site, size, differentiation and nodal disease were significant predictors of survival.