Recurrence of oral squamous cell carcinoma in surgically treated patients at Khartoum Teaching Dental Hospital retrospective cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background In terms of survival rate, recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) after primary surgery is considered as a poor prognostic indicator. Objective This study aims to determine the incidence of OSCC recurrence among patients treated at Khartoum Teaching Dental Hospital (KTDH) and possible risk factors associated with it. Methods Records of 303 patients with a history of radical surgery were retrieved from the hospital’s archives, and the histopathological records were retrieved from the archival specimens of Professor Ahmed Suleiman Oral Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, and University of Khartoum. Results Advanced stages of OSCC (III, IV) were associated with higher recurrence rates, and the poorly differentiated OSCC was the commonest recurrent type. Conclusion The condition of the surgical margin is a significant predictor of OSCC recurrence and tumor stage. The tumor site, the type of surgical resection, and the tumor differentiation were also identified as significant factors influencing the recurrence of OSCC.