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Tongue and Buccal Mucosa Carcinoma: Is There a Difference in Outcome?

  • Head and Neck Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

We sought to determine the differences in clinical outcome of tongue and buccal carcinomas.

Methods

Five-year locoregional control, distant metastasis, and survival rates were examined in 456 patients with tongue cancer and 407 patients with buccal cancer.

Results

Five-year rates for patients with tongue and buccal carcinomas were as follows: local control, 85% and 87% (P = 0.9366); neck control, 81% and 87% (P = 0.0304); distant metastasis, 8% and 14% (P = 0.0052); disease-free survival, 70% and 72% (P = 0.9978); disease-specific survival, 79% and 78% (P = 0.2435), respectively. After stratification according to pathological lymph node status, patients with buccal cancer and pN0/pNx disease (without neck dissection) had a higher 5-year neck control rate than those with tongue cancer (93% versus 86%, P = 0.0115). In contrast, buccal cancer with pN+ disease had a higher 5-year distant metastasis rate compared with tongue cancer (30% versus 18%, P = 0.0231). In pN0/pNx subjects, neck control was predicted by perineural invasion and the absence of neck dissection in tongue cancer, and by poor differentiation in buccal cancer. In pN+ patients, distant metastases were predicted by pT3–4 disease, age at onset ≤40 years, poor differentiation, and pN+ ≥ 5 nodes in tongue cancer, and by poor differentiation and pN+ ≥ 5 nodes in buccal cancer.

Conclusions

There are significant differences in the failure pattern of tongue and buccal carcinomas. Prognostic models for these malignancies should allow stratification of patients for a risk-adapted approach to treatment.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported by grants CMRPG370061 and CMRPG 370062 from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.

Authors’ contributions

Conception and design: C.T. Liao, C.J. Kang, T.C. Yen; Administrative support: T.C. Yen; Provision of study materials or patients: C.T. Liao, S.F. Huang, I.H. Chen, C.J. Kang, C.Y. Lin, K.H. Fan, H.M. Wang, S.H. Ng, C. Hsueh, L.Y. Lee, C.H. Lin, T.C. Yen; Collection and assembly of data: C.T. Liao, S.F. Huang, I.H. Chen, C.J. Kang, C.Y. Lin, K.H. Fan, H.M. Wang, S.H. Ng, C. Hsueh, L.Y. Lee, C.H. Lin, T.C. Yen; Data analysis and interpretation: C.T. Liao, T.C. Yen; Manuscript writing: C.T. Liao, T.C. Yen; Final approval of manuscript: C.T. Liao, T.C. Yen

Conflicts of interest statement

The authors indicated no potential conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Chun-Ta Liao MD, Shiang-Fu Huang MD, I-How Chen MD & Chung-Jan Kang

  2. Department of Head and Neck Oncology Group, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Chun-Ta Liao MD, Shiang-Fu Huang MD, I-How Chen MD, Chung-Jan Kang, Chien-Yu Lin MD, Kang-Hsing Fan MD, Hung-Ming Wang MD, Shu-Hang Ng MD, Chuen Hsueh MD, Li-Yu Lee MD, Chih-Hung Lin & Tzu-Chen Yen MD, PhD

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences of Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Chien-Yu Lin MD & Kang-Hsing Fan MD

  4. Department of Hema-Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Hung-Ming Wang MD

  5. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Shu-Hang Ng MD

  6. Department of Pathology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Chuen Hsueh MD & Li-Yu Lee MD

  7. Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Chih-Hung Lin

  8. Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

    Tzu-Chen Yen MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Chun-Ta Liao MD
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  2. Shiang-Fu Huang MD
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  3. I-How Chen MD
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  4. Chung-Jan Kang
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  5. Chien-Yu Lin MD
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  6. Kang-Hsing Fan MD
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  7. Hung-Ming Wang MD
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  8. Shu-Hang Ng MD
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  9. Chuen Hsueh MD
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  10. Li-Yu Lee MD
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  11. Chih-Hung Lin
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  12. Tzu-Chen Yen MD, PhD
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Chun-Ta Liao MD or Tzu-Chen Yen MD, PhD.

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Liao, CT., Huang, SF., Chen, IH. et al. Tongue and Buccal Mucosa Carcinoma: Is There a Difference in Outcome?. Ann Surg Oncol 17, 2984–2991 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-010-1174-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-010-1174-1

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