Oral verrucous carcinoma: a retrospective clinical study of 29 Chinese patients

The purpose of this study is to retrospectively describe the clinical features and prognosis of patients undergoing surgical treatment. Between 2002 and 2006, 29 patients diagnosed with oral verrucous carcinoma at Xiangya Hospital, Central South University were included in this study. Each lesion was examined by a single oral pathologist. The patients ranged in age from 29 to 77 years (mean, 51.6 years; SD, 11.8 years), and 24 of the patients are men, giving a 4.8: 1 male-female ratio. The frequently sites of oral verrucous carcinoma (OVC) were the lower lip (20.7%), the buccal mucosa (20.7%), the upper and lower jawbones (20.7%), and the gingiva (17.2%). The clinical phenotypes in this group can be classified into three types: exogenic (55.2%), cystoid (20.7%), and infiltrative (24.1%). The survival rate of patients who underwent surgery was 93.1% in 5 years. Recurrence (13.8%) appeared to be related to subtypes of infiltrative and cystoid OVC. Two cases showed risk of cervical lymph node metastasis. Our findings suggest that OVC showed good prognosis in patients who underwent surgical treatment. Infiltrative and cystoid OVC showed aggressive behavior and a high risk of recurrence. Neck dissection, if necessary, may be used with a supra-omohyoid neck dissection (SOHND).