SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE ORAL CAVITY - THE RESULTS OF THE SURGICAL AND NONSURGICAL THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES IN A CONSECUTIVE SERIES OF 156 PATIENTS TREATED IN COPENHAGEN COUNTY

A retrospective study on patients, treated for intraoral squamous cell carcinoma in Copenhagen county, is reported. The material included 15 6 patients, 66 females and 90 males. Age at diagnosis varied between 3 5 and 95 years with a mean of 65 years. Mean age of females/males was 70/62 years. Twelve therapeutic modalities were performed; surgery, ra diotherapy, chemotherapy and different combinations of these. Three an d five years crude survival were 43% and 37%. Three and five years cru de survival rates were 70% and 61% for patients in stage I, 39% and 32 % for patients in stage II, 29% and 16% for patients in stage III and 19% and 17% for patients in stage IV. The results are similar to those achieved in other centers. Since no significant improvement has been noted in patient survival during the last 5-6 decades and since the th erapeutic morbidity has not always been acceptable to the patients, ot her therapeutic principles such as the so-called minimal invasive ther apy should be considered in future treatment of intraoral cancer.