Oral cancer

Question 1

Mortality rate of patients with OSSC

Answer 1

1:4

sometimes 50% dont survive 5 years despite optimal current tx

Question 2

3 broad aspects that define a malignant tumour

Answer 2

appearance
behaviour
histology

appearance - ulcerated, non-healing, red or white, margins, texture-cirrous (hard)
behaviour - locally invasive, spreads regionally, spreads distant, ‘parasitic’ ‘anarchistic’
histology - abnormalities and mutations

Question 3

Through which system is oral cancer primarily spread?

Answer 3

lymphatic

Question 4

How far does cancer spread? (3)

Answer 4

invasive locally (surrounding tissues)
spreads regionally 
spreads distantly (metastasis)

Question 5

Overall rate of malignant change in oral epithelial dysplasia

Answer 5

12.3%

Question 6

Briefly, how is cancer staging determined?

Answer 6

SNM pneumonic

S - tumour SIZE
N- lymph NODE involvement
M - metastasis

Question 7

Why is oncology staging used? (5)

Answer 7

• a standardisation (good for communication)
• disease progression
• prognostication
• risk stratification
• disease management