Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma in never smokers: Analysis of clinicopathologic characteristics and survival ★

PurposeTo examine the relationship between tobacco smoking history and the clinicopathologic and survival characteristics of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC).Materials and methodsThis is a retrospective review of 531 patients treated for OCSCC from January 1998 to December 2009 at a tertiary care medical center.ResultsThirty-two percent of OCSCC patients were never smokers. There were significant differences in tumor location between ever smokers and never smokers (p < 0.001), with never smokers more likely to have oral tongue tumors. Smokers were significantly (p < 0.001) more likely than never smokers to present with locally advanced (T3 or T4) disease (57.8% vs. 35.4%). Never smokers demonstrated improved overall survival (78.8 months in never smokers vs. 44.7 months in ever smokers, p = .03). However, there were no survival differences when the two groups were compared separately for locally early (T1/T2) or advanced (T3/T4) disease. For T1/T2 tumors, mean survival was 88.2 months for never smokers and 78.5 months for smokers (p = .10). For T3/T4 tumors, median survival was 29.1 months for never smokers and 23.8 months for smokers (p = .09).ConclusionsPrimary tumor location and T-status in OCSCC differed between never smokers and smokers. Compared to smokers, never smokers had fewer locally advanced tumors and better overall survival.