Tongue cancer treatment and oncological outcomes: The role of glossectomy classification. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Berardinis, Rita; Tagliabue, Marta; Belloni, Pietro; Gandini, Sara; Scaglione, Donatella; Maffini, Fausto; Margherini, Stefano; Riccio, Stefano; Giugliano, Gioacchino; Bruschini, Roberto; Chu, Francesco; Ansarin, Mohssen
• Is Part Of: Surgical oncology. Volume 42(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Glossectomy classification -- Tongue cancer -- Survival -- Cancer prognosis -- Surgery; Cancer -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- surgery -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Chirurgie -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.994059
• DOI: 10.1016/j.suronc.2022.101751
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-7404

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Nowadays surgery remains the gold standard of treatment for tongue cancer. Via a more clear and precise terminology, the glossectomy classification by Ansarin et al. facilitates shared communication between surgeons, allowing comparison between published research and improving surgical practice and patient care. To establish the association of glossectomies, according to their classification by Ansarin et al. with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DSF), and cause-specific survival (CSS) in tongue cancer, we conducted a systemic retrospective study on 300 consecutive patients affected by primary oral tongue cancer and treated with surgery at the European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS (IEO). Methods: Three hundred patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma and treated at the Division of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS were cataloged according to the glossectomy classification. OS, DFS, and CSS were compared by surgical treatments. Results: OS-5yrs was 80% for the type I glossectomy group, 75% for type II, 65% for type III, and 35% for type IV-V. DFS-5yrs was 74%, 60%, 55%, and 27%, respectively for I, II, III, and IV-V glossectomy group; CSS-5yrs was 82%, 80%, 72%, and 48%, respectively for I, II, III, and IV-V glossectomy group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study confirmed that the application of the glossectomy classification was statistically correlated with patients' oncological outcomes. Highlights: The glossectomy classification facilitates shared communication between surgeons, allowing comparison between researches. This study analyzed the advantages of glossectomies classification, correlating type of surgery with patients' prognosis. The application of the classification could guide the surgeon to the optimal tongue cancer treatment.