RELATIONSHIP OF BIOPSY AND FINAL SPECIMENS IN EVALUATION OF TUMOR THICKNESS IN FLOOR OF MOUTH CARCINOMA

A number of studies have suggested that tumor thickness may be a valua ble prognostic indicator in the evaluation of head and neck cancers. T his study examined the relationship between tumor thickness measured i n preliminary biopsy specimens with the final specimens obtained in 31 patients patients with floor of mouth epidermoid carcinoma. There was a significant statistical correlation between biopsy and final specim ens, The Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient was 0.58, wh ich corresponded to a significance level of P<.0005, The results of th is study showed that those patients who had biopsies with a thickness less than or equal to 1 mm were likely to have final specimens with a thickness less than 2 mm, Ah patients with a thickness greater than 2 mm had a final specimen with a thickness greater than 3.5 mm, Modifica tion of current biopsy techniques may result in values more predictive of final thickness measurements.