Purpose: Assessing the adequacy of the surgical resection during compo
site resection of carcinoma is limited by the ability to evaluate the
bone margins. The standard pathologic evaluation of bone is by decalci
fication. Patients and Methods: A method of analysis was devised based
on histologically proven methods of cortical invasion and subsequent
spread. Frozen-section analysis of cancellous bone was investigated as
a rapid method of evaluating adequacy of the mandibular resection. Th
is report is an update of previously published results and includes an
increase in the sample size as well as the analysis of additional pat
hology. Subjects consisted of 66 patients undergoing full thickness ma
ndibular resection with 30 cases of histologically proven mandibular i
nvasion qualifying for evaluation. Results on frozen section were then
compared to the permanent section analysis on the cancellous bone and
to the decalcified specimen. Results: Complete correlation was found
between frozen and permanent section results. Frozen section analysis
was able to correctly predict adequacy of resection in 60 of 61 margin
s. Conclusion: Based on these results, the oncologic surgeon can evalu
ate bone margins at the time of the resection and adjust the amount of
excision required to eradicate the disease. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B
. Saunders Company.