Decision making in Resection of Oral Cancer: How to go about it

Abstract

Oral cancer is a global health problem with growing incidence and mortality rates. As highlighted by International Agency for Research on Cancer and World Health Organization on 2014, the early diagnosis of oral cancer reduces morbidity and mortality rates. The most accepted mode of initial definitive treatment for most oral cancers is surgical management. Various factors related to the primary Tumour and the patient affect choice of treatment. Primary site, location, size, proximity to bone, and depth of infiltration are factors which influence a particular surgical approach. Tumour’ s that approach or involve the mandible require specific understanding of the mechanism of bone involvement. Over time the role of surgery in primary squamous cell carcinomas in other sites in the head and neck has evolved with integration of multidisciplinary treatment approaches employing chemotherapy and radiotherapy either sequentially or concurrently. In this article, we throw light on the numerous component that influence the decision making of the surgeon before surgical resection in oral cancer.