BACKGROUND: To assess the prognostics factors in the patients with tumors of oral cavity and oropharynx previously operated, and undergoing salvage surgery. METHODS: Retrospective study of 276 patients treated with surgery associated or not with postoperative radiation therapy. The patients were excluded when they presented with distant metastasis, second primary tumors or previous oncological treatment. RESULTS: The average follow-up was 35.3 months, and 127 patients developed loco-regional relapses, from which 76 were considered candidates for salvage surgery. In 65% of the patients, the salvage surgery was in the oral cavity due to the higher predominance of exclusive local relapse. The main indications of salvage surgery were in patients with early clinical stage (I/II) and loco-regional relapses. The independent clinical prognostic factors in the multivariate analysis were the site of tumor and the clinical stage of loco-regional relapse. CONCLUSION: The tumor site and the clinical stage of loco-regional relapse were the independent clinical prognostic factors.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Mouth; Oropharynx; Mouth neoplasms; Surgery; Prognostic factors
