MANDIBLE PRESERVATION IN CANCER OF THE FLOOR OF THE MOUTH - ANATOMICAL AND ONCOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS

An extended marginal mandibulectomy can be performed in most T2-T3 car cinomas of the floor of the mouth that abut the anterior mandible if t here is no radiologic evidence of bony invasion or clinical evidence o f fixation. We propose a modification of the marginal mandibulectomy t hat maintains viability to the anterior mandibular remnant and thus de creases the morbidity associated with a loss of blood supply. This mod ification permits preservation of a viable mandibular remnant with sig nificantly less loss of function than with the traditional segmental m andibular resection, while remaining oncologically sound.