# Evaluation of oncological outcomes in patients with oral cavity cancer treated in a low-volume hospital

## TL;DR

This study shows that treating oral cavity cancer in low-volume hospitals can lead to outcomes similar to high-volume centers.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that low-volume hospitals can achieve comparable survival and complication rates for oral cavity cancer patients.

## Key findings

- Three-year specific and global survival rates were similar to high-volume centers.
- Complication rates and recurrence rates were not significantly different from high-volume centers.
- Low-volume hospitals can be a viable regional option for treating oral cavity cancer.

## Abstract

•The overall and disease-free survival was similar to those in high volume centers.•The complications rate were not different as described in high volume centers.•Oncological low volume centers presents with a equal local and regional recurrences rates.

The overall and disease-free survival was similar to those in high volume centers.

The complications rate were not different as described in high volume centers.

Oncological low volume centers presents with a equal local and regional recurrences rates.

To evaluate the results of OCC patients treated in low-volume regional hospitals.

This is a retrospective longitudinal study conducted with patients diagnosed with OCC and operated on in a low-volume hospital between January 2003 and December 2018.

174 patients with OCC were treated at the institution ‒ an average of 11 patients/year. The most common tumor location was the tongue (48.2%), followed by the lip (18.2%). Squamous cell carcinomas were the most frequent (94.7% of patients). Adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed in 46.7% and 31.9% of patients, respectively. Almost 21% of patients had some postoperative complication. Specific survival of 62.6% and global survival of 58.2% after 3-years were similar to the results reported in high-volume centers. Disease-free survival was 45.8% in the same period.

Low-volume hospitals qualified for oncological treatments can present outcomes similar to those of high-volume centers, and are thus a regional option for patients with OCC.

Level III.