Combined-modality therapy for squamous carcinoma of the buccal mucosa: Treatment results and prognostic factors

Background Reports on locoregional control and survival of squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa are scarce in literature. In this study, a single institution's experience of combined surgery and postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for buccal mucosal malignancy with favorable results was analyzed and presented. The prognostic factors on locoregional control were also discussed. Methods From January 1988 to July 1994, 57 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa treated by surgery and RT were reviewed. The distributions according to American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging were: stage II, 6; stage III, 21; and stage IV, 30 patients. Total dose of RT at the buccal area ranged from 45 Gy to 68.4 Gy, median 61.2 Gy. Tumor‐related factors (AJCC stage, T stage, histologic grading, pathologic tumor invasion to skin of cheek, adjacent bony structures, and regional lymph nodes) and treatment‐related factors (surgical margin, radiation dose, and the time interval between operation and RT) were analyzed to determine their influence on locoregional control. Results Three‐year actuarial locoregional control rate, overall survival rate, and disease‐specific survival rates were 64%, 55%, and 62%, respectively. Ten of these 22 patients (45%) with recurrent tumors were reoperated, but only 2 patients were successfully salvaged. Positive surgical margin and tumor invasion to skin of cheek were significantly poor prognostic factors on locoregional control by univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, tumor invasion to skin of cheek was the only prognostic factor (p = .0014). Conclusions Locoregional failure was the major cause of death for squamous buccal mucosa cancers managed with surgery and RT. Few recurrences could be detected early and successfully salvaged. Skin of cheek involvement is an important prognostic factor for buccal mucosa cancers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 19:506–512, 1997.