Clinico-pathological prognosticators in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Despite diagnostic and therapeutic advancements, mortality and morbidity rates in the patients diagnosed with oral cancer remain static. Hence, an understanding of the factors that predict the progression of oral cancer appears to be useful in deciding on the most appropriate therapy, thereby improving survival. To do so in practice, a critical knowledge of prognostic markers that have high sensitivity is essential. Though recent research has introduced newer molecular markers, challenging the conventional prognostic assessment methods their universal application is yet to be determined. In practice, clinical and histopathological parameters are widely used for the selection of treatment strategies and for the determination of prognosis in oral cancer patients. A literature search yielded a multitude of parameters to be involved in the determination of prognosis of a patient. Based on published evidence, factors of significance were pTNM, tumour volume, depth of invasion, surgical margin status, tumour budding, vascular and perineural invasion, medullary bone invasion, extracapsular spread and the presence of distant metastasis.