The significance of "positive" margins in surgically resected epidermoid carcinomas. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Sixty-two patients with epidermoid carcinomas of the head and neck (excluding glottic larynx and skin), in whom surgical-resection margins were classified as "positive", were studied to determine the incidence of local recurrence, the subsequent clinical course, and survival. The recurrence rate in this group was compared with that of patients who had "negative" margins. Four histologic findings are classified as positive margins: (1) margin closeness (tumor within 0.5 cm), (2) premalignant change in the margin, (3) in-situ cancer in the margin, and (4) invasive microscopic cancer at the margin. Patients with these variants showed a significant increase in local recurrence and in mortality when compared to those with negative margins. A review of the literature is presented, and recommendations are made for this clinical setting.

publication date

  • January 1, 1978

Research

keywords

  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0018223525

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/hed.2890010203

PubMed ID

  • 755803

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 1

issue

  • 2