Intraoperative Margin Assessment in Early Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The surgical method of margin sampling affects local control, pathologists' approach to margin sampling, and clarity of pathology reports. Studies have shown that exclusive reliance on tumor bed margins is associated with worse local control and should be avoided. En bloc resections and margins obtained from the resection specimen remain the “gold standard.” Successful surgical treatment of early carcinomas of the oral cavity relies on close cooperation between surgeons and pathologists on issues of specimen orientation and margin sampling.