Epidermoid carcinoma of the gum:A 20-year survey

Abstract

Between 1942 and 1961, 606 patients with epidermoid cancer of the gum were studied. Three quarters were men, and 95% of them smoked; one half of the women did not. Sixty‐three per cent had clinically localized disease, and 51% had primary lesions under 3 cm in diameter. Absolute survival rose from 27% in 1946 to 50% in 1961. Determinate survival rose from 35% to 64%. Localized cancer of the gum under 3 cm in diameter was cured in over 80% of patients. Lesions accompanied by only submandibular lymph node metastases were cured in 80%. If nodal metastases occurred in the jugular chain, 38% were salvaged. Gum cancer over 5 cm had a poor outlook, and if accompanied by jugular node metastases was uniformly fatal. This report demonstrates that currently gum cancer presents with smaller diameter primary lesions and higher and more favorable lymph node metastases to account for the increasing survival. Thus the changing patterns of disease produced the improving survival. Categories of patients in whom adjunctive measures and elective neck dissections should be strongly considered are outlined.

Mandibular invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma: investigation by clinical examination and orthopantomogram

“…The findings in the present study of mandibular involvement in 49% of cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma compares favourably with other studies 1,3,4,5,8,14,17,25,29,30,36,39,40,45,46 . The higher incidence of bone invasion (89%) in lower alveolar tumours in the present series of cases is also supported by literature 6,17,21,28,44,45 .…”

Gingival Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mimicking a Dentoalveolar Abscess: Report of a Case

“…Metastases to cervical lymph nodes were reported in 25 to 35% of gingival SCC patients, with a higher rate for larger primary tumors (12,23,24). Another unusual feature of our case is that lymph node metastasis was found for such a small primary tumor with no evidence of bone invasion.…”

“…However, only half of the patients in Cady and Catlin's study were properly handled by prompt referral to a treatment center. One-third had teeth extracted before referral, and one-sixth had various therapies applied for periods ranging from 1 month to Ͼ1 year before the patients were referred for treatment of carcinoma, as a result of lack of suspicion that the lesion was cancer (12). Soo and associates (3) also found that in 384 patients with carcinomas of the gingiva, dental extraction had been performed before diagnosis in 20% of the cases.…”

“…It usually appears as an exophytic mass with a granular, papillary, or verrucous surface or presents as an ulcerative lesion (9). Gum pain is the most predominant symptom, but the early stages may be asymptomatic (3,12). It generally occurs in the premolar and molar regions, the lower jaw being more often affected than the upper, and usually arises in edentulous areas but may also occur in areas where teeth are present (3,12,13).…”

Oral neoplasia: Its significance and behavior

“…other intraoral areas. One highly representative study described 632 cases of gingival carcinoma (Cady and Catlin, 1969). Pain and/or ulceration was very characteristic of the clinical course and 50% of these patients presented for treatment within the first three months of these symptoms.…”