The role of adjuvant treatment in early‐stage oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: An international collaborative study

BACKGROUND Up to half of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) have stage I to II disease. When adequate resection is attained, no further treatment is needed; however, re‐resection or radiotherapy may be indicated for patients with positive or close margins. This multicenter study evaluated the outcomes and role of adjuvant treatment in patients with stage I to II OCSCC. METHODS Overall survival (OS), disease‐specific survival, local‐free survival, and disease‐free survival rates were calculated with Kaplan‐Meier analysis. RESULTS Of 1257 patients with T1‐2N0M0 disease, 33 (2.6%) had positive margins, and 205 (16.3%) had close margins. The 5‐year OS rate was 80% for patients with clear margins, 52% for patients with close margins, and 63% for patients with positive margins (P 2‐fold increase in the risk of recurrence (P