CLINICAL-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH DIAGNOSIS OF ORAL CAVITY CANCER

Introduction: Cancer of the oral cavity is a malignant tumor that can occur in the lips, oral structures and region under the tongue. They are cancers that often affect male patients aged 40 years and over. Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with oral cavity cancer from 2015 to 2019 in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: A descriptive study of quantitative approach was conducted through data from patients living in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais with diagnosis of oral cavity neoplasia in hospital records of the José Alencar Gomes da Silva National Cancer Institute (INCA). Results and discussion: In the historical series analyzed, 312 cases of cancer of the oral cavity were identified. Conclusion: The patients who were diagnosed with cancer in the oral cavity were mostly men aged between 50 and 69 years, the association between concomitant use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages was present in the vast majority of cases. Health professionals' efforts are needed for early diagnosis through educational actions and primary prevention.

Less Is More? The Association between Survival and Follow-Up Protocol after Treatment in Oral Cavity Cancer Patients from a Betel Quid-Prevalent Region

The optimal follow-up protocol after treatment of oral cavity cancer patients is still debatable. We aimed to investigate the impact of frequency of different imaging studies and follow-up visits on the survival of oral cavity cancer patients. The current study retrospectively reviewed oral cavity cancer patients who underwent surgical intervention in our hospital. Basic demographic data, tumor-related features, treatment modalities, imaging studies, and clinic visits were recorded. Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the influence of variables on the survival of oral cavity cancer patients. In total, 741 patients with newly diagnosed oral cavity cancer were included in the final analysis. Overall, the frequency of imaging studies was not associated with survival in the multivariate analysis, except PET scan (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.57–7.86). However, in late-stage and elder patients, frequent head and neck CT/MRI scan was associated with a better prognosis (HR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36–0.84; HR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30–0.91, respectively). In conclusion, precision medicine is a global trend nowadays. Different subgroups may need different follow-up protocols. Further prospective study is warranted to clarify the relationship between frequency of image studies and survival of oral cavity cancer patients.

The impact of trans-arterial embolization on the result of chemoradiotherapy in oral cavity cancer

Objectives: Evaluation of the hemostatic effect of trans-arterial embolization on patients with advanced oral cavity cancer who had bleeding complications while undergoing definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Additionally, assess the effect of trans-arterial embolization on treatment response following concurrent chemoradiotherapy, as well as overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the group of patients following the intervention. Method: From September 2018–June 2021, a retrospective descriptive study was conducted on 16 patients with inoperable, locally advanced oral cavity cancer who received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy, experienced acute bleeding complications, and received selective intravascular intervention with various embolization materials at Vietnam National Cancer Hospital. Results: After selective embolization, 16/16 patients ceased bleeding; 1 patient re-bled for the second time after 3 weeks. The average duration of chemoradiotherapy interruption due to intervention was 6.7 days. After CCRT, 15/16 (93.75%) patients achieved a response, with 9/16 (56.25%) patients achieving a complete response. The median OS was 14 months (range, 3–26 months), and the median PFS was 10 months (range, 3–20 months). There were no significant complications, particularly neurological side effects. ConclusionsTumor bleeding is a common and serious complication of CCRT treatment in patients with locally advanced oral cavity cancer. Embolization is a safe and effective method of controlling acute bleeding that has no adverse effect on the outcome of definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy.