Comparative study of marginal mandibulectomy vs segmental or hemi- mandibulectomy in oral cavity cancers

Abstract

Surgery is the most well-established mode of initial definitive treatment for the majority of oral cancers. The most important decision in terms of tumor ablation in oral cancers when the jaws are potentially involved is the management of the mandible. The present study was conducted at a tertiary healthcare institute among 61 patients who underwent bony resection for Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) close to the mandible, adherent or directly invading this bone, from January 2021 to December 2021. Records of the patients were reviewed. The patients whose surgical resection involved a marginal or segmental mandibulectomy and with a minimum follow-up of 24 months were included in the analysis. Adequate clinical information was available in 61 patients. Size of mandibular resection greater than 4 cm and tumor infiltration beyond the resection margins are correlated with poor survival rates, but no differences between marginal or segmental mandibulectomies could be shown, as was the case in other reports. When gross bone involvement has occurred, segmental resection is the method of choice. Careful case selection will allow a favorable oncologic outcome with preservation of mandibular contour.