Abstract
BACKGROUND: Appreciable local recurrence rates observed in patients with margin-negative, transoral laser microsurgery (TLM)-treated oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) necessitate identification of new prognosticators for local control and survival. A histopathologic index (Brandwein-Gensler score [BGS]) and intrinsic/iatrogenic/chronic conditions causing immune compromise are investigated. METHODS: From a prospectively assembled database of TLM-treated oral cavity SCC, specimens for 60 patients with a minimum of 2-years follow-up could undergo BGS assignment. Local control, disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) were study endpoints. RESULTS: "Low-BGS" was recorded in 28 patients (47%) and "high-BGS" in 32 patients (53%), whereas immune compromise was observed in 18%. In multivariate analyses, immune compromise was the only predictor for local control. T classification and immune compromise were prognostic for DSS and OS. "High-BGS" was prognostic only for OS. CONCLUSION: "High-BGS" was associated with recurrences but immune compromise was the most significant predictor of local control and survival in margin-negative, TLM-treated oral cavity SCC. Strategies that maintain/restore tumor-specific immune responses in immune compromised oral cavity SCC hosts need to be developed.