UTILITY OF TUMOUR VOLUME IN DETERMINING MEDIAN SURVIVAL FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED ORAL CANCER: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Background: Surgical intervention has traditionally served as the primary therapeutic modality for mouth cancer. Patients who are not subjected to surgical intervention are often managed with the administration of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Several variables contribute to the survival of patients, and tumour volume is perhaps one of these aspects. The objective of this research is to investigate the impact of pre-treatment tumour volume on survival outcomes. Methodology: A retrospective analysis was carried out on the reports of the patients treated for oral cancer. The tumour volume was estimated by performing a CT scan before treatment. The ideal tumour volume was determined for this study. The statistical analysis was carried out to estimate the effect of various factors on the survival outcome. Results: The average total tumors volume among the 40 patients who were treated with radiation was 74 cm3. The average primary volume of the tumour was 59 cm3. The average volume of the tumour in the lymph nodes was 6 cm3. The patients who had a volume of the tumor less than 52 cm3 had higher survival of 34 months and those who had more than 52 cm3 had survival of 9 months. Conclusion: The volume of the tumour influences the prognosis of oral cancer. The volume above 52 cm3 resulted in a poor survival outcome. The TTV can be used as a factor to develop a treatment that delivers a favourable outcome. Recommendation: Total tumour volume (TTV) should be used by the oncologist to develop a treatment plan that is effective and improves overall survival. Also, prospective studies are required in this domain to confirm the association of various factors with survival outcomes.

Keywords

• Total tumour volume
• survival outcome
• oral cancer
• chemoradiotherapy