Outcomes of salvage treatment in patients with recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background The survival outcomes of different salvage treatments for patients with recurrent oral cancer remain unclear. Methods A total of 556 patients with recurrent oral cancer between 2010 and 2015 were reviewed. Clinical/pathological risk factors and different salvage treatments were analyzed. Results The 2-year disease-free survival rates after recurrence in patients not receiving salvage operation (305 patients), receiving salvage operation with (121 patients), and without (130 patients) major pathological risk factors (margin or extranodal extension) were 5.3%, 32.4%, and 77.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). The 2-year overall survival rates were 20.3%, 58.4%, and 89.2%, respectively (p < 0.001). A late-onset recurrence, salvage radiation, and salvage operation were independent factors for good disease-free and overall survival. Salvage radiation showed survival benefits among patients not indicated for salvage operations. Conclusions Salvage operation was the first choice for recurrent oral cancer. Patients who received the salvage operation without major risk factors had the best survival.