Purpose:Many factors are involved in oral cavity cancer surgery, and their association with the surgical margin; thus, patient outcomes are still not completely understood. This aim of this study was to determine which variable or variables had the greatest influence on increasing the size of the surgical margin.
Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital of patients who underwent resective surgery for a primary oral cavity cancer between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012. The primary outcome variable was the surgical margin, defined as the closest distance between the surgical edge and invasive cancer. A heterogeneous set of predictor variables were identified as potentially impacting on the primary outcome variable: demographic, 5 surgical, and 7 histological variables. The data then underwent statistical analysis using univariable linear regression, and variables that were found to have a statistical association were retained in a non-interaction multivariable model.
Results:250 patients were included in this study. The results demonstrated that highvolume surgeons delivered larger surgical margins than low-volume surgeons.The single most important variable associated with larger surgical margins M A N U S C R I P T
A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPTwas who performed the resective operation. The following variables were also associated with smaller surgical margins: retromolar trigone location; non-SCC cancers; perineural invasion; and a lip-split mandibulectomy surigical approach.
Conclusion:There was a strong association between high-volume surgeons and larger surgical margins; supporting the rationalization of oral cavity cancer management into high-volume centers and high-volume surgeons.