Abstract

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most common cancer worldwide, disseminates to cervical nodes which strongly influences survival and prognosis. The present study was conducted to assess clinical spectrum of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.
Materials & Methods: 264 histopathologically proven oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients who underwent surgery including neck dissection of both genders were included in the study and parameters such as site of oral cancer, post-operative histopathological detail and type of neck dissection was recorded.
Results: Out of 264 patients, males were 160 and females were 104. We found that common site was buccal mucosa in 132, tongue in 48, alveolo-buccal in 52, alveolus in 14, lip in 10 and floor of mouth in 8 cases. T Stage clinical was T1 in 24, T2 in 70, T3 in 40and T4 in 130. Neck node clinical was seen in 184 cases. We found that on ipsilateral site, neck dissection done was RND in 24, MND1 in 28, MND2 in 128, MND3 in 20 and supra-omohyoid neck dissection (SOHND) in 64 cases. On contralateral side, neck dissection performed was MND1 in 6, MND2 in 10, MND3 in 12, SOHND in 37 and not done in 199 cases. Histopathological node status was positive in 42% and negative in 58%. Oral subsite wise pathological node positivity in buccal mucosa was 35%, tongue in 40%, alveolo-buccal  in 42%, alveolus in 38%, lip in 32% and floor of mouth in 30%. Groups of nodes involved were 0 in 60%, 1 in 14%, 2-4 in 18% and >4 in 8%.
Conclusion: Most common site of oral squamous cell carcinoma was buccal mucosa, followed by alveolo-buccal region. Type of neck dissection done was MND2.Most common level of nodal involvement was level 1 and level 2.Incidence of node positivity was relatively higher among locally advanced tongue cancer than early oral cancer.