Carcinoma of the buccal mucosa

OBJECTIVE The goal was to analyze the outcome of surgical therapy for bucca l carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was done. SETTING: The study took place in a major tertiary-care hospital. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients received first-time surgical therapy for buc cal carcinoma. Treatment was surgery alone in 15 and surgery followed by ra diation therapy in 6 patients. Six additional patients received surgical sa lvage for radiation therapy failure. Composite resection of the tumor was p erformed in 16 patients (59%). Five-year observed actuarial survival rates were 100%, 45%, 67%, and 78%, and locoregional recurrence rates were 0%, 27 %, 44%, and 0% for stages I to IV, respectively. The 5-year actuarial survi val rates were 80% after surgery and 82% after surgery and postoperative ra diation therapy. Patients who underwent surgical salvage after radiation th erapy failure had a 1-year survival rate of 0%. CONCLUSION: Aggressive surgical treatment of buccal carcinoma may result in better survival rates. SIGNIFICANCE: The article analyzes buccal carcinoma in regards to the patterns of presentation, treatments rendered, and patte rns of failure.