Effects of age on postoperative oral function in older adults with oral squamous cell carcinoma and its cutoff values: a cross-sectional study

TL;DR

This study finds that older adults over 75 years have significantly worse post-surgery oral function after oral cancer treatment.

Contribution

The study identifies 75 years as a critical age cutoff for postoperative oral dysfunction in oral cancer patients.

Findings

Patients over 75 years have four times higher odds of poor occlusal force post-surgery.

Age is an independent predictor of postoperative oral function decline.

Older patients over 75 may require targeted interventions for oral function recovery.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of age on postoperative oral function in older adults with oral squamous cell carcinoma and its cutoffs. 102 patients (74 males; 28 females) with oral squamous cell carcinoma were treated according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shimane University Hospital, between September 2019 and March 2023 were included. Their mean age was 69.6 years. Background data were obtained from the medical records, and oral function measurements were performed the day before discharge. Final analysis was performed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and propensity score. The primary tumor site was the tongue in 45 (44.1%), gingiva in 41 (40.2%), and other sites in 16 (15.7%) patients. ROC analysis showed a cutoff age of 75 years for occlusal force. The propensity score method showed that the odds ratio of age was 4.32 (confidence interval: 1.48 − 12.55 [P = 0.01]) for occlusal force. Treatment age is independently associated with postoperative oral function, and the incidence of postoperative oral dysfunction is approximately four times higher for patients aged > 75 years. The development of measures for postoperative oral function recovery may be particularly necessary in older adult patients aged > 75 years.

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