Postoperative radiotherapy for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma with intermediate risk of recurrence: A case match study

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) on recurrence and survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) of intermediate recurrence risk. Methods Intermediate risk patients, defined as pT1, pT2, pN0, or pN1 with at least one adverse pathological feature (eg, lymphovascular/perineural invasion), were identified from the head and neck databases of the Liverpool Head and Neck Cancer Unit and the Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute. Patients who received surgery and PORT were case matched with patients treated by surgery alone based on pN, pT, margins, and pathological features. Results Ninety patients were matched into 45 pairs. There was significant improvement (P = .039) in locoregional control with PORT (84%) compared with surgery alone (60%), which was concentrated in the pN1 subgroup (P = .036), but not the pN0 subgroup (P = .331). Conclusion PORT significantly improves locoregional control for intermediate risk OSCC.