Effects of close surgical margins on prognosis and recurrence of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives: To assess the relationships of close surgical margins with recurrence and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 198 patients who were diagnosed with OSCC based on histopathology. All patients underwent wide local tumor resection and neck dissection, followed by or preceded by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The tumor variables assessed were the pathological stage of disease, involvement site, tumor size, margin status, tumor differentiation, bone involvement if any, presence of lymphovascular or perineural invasion, adjuvant therapies including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, lymph node involvement, and ratio. Results: The outcome of the disease based on margins was statistically significant, with close mar- gins associated with increased risk of disease fatality. Recurrence was associated with close margins, followed by adequate margins, and the relation-ship was significant within the first 2 years. Tumor stage and size significantly correlated with margin status. Close surgical margins correlated with one positive lymph node. Conclusion: Close surgical margins are strong predictors for determining prognosis of OSCC.