Squamous cell carcinoma management of the floor of mouth

In treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth floor, we reviewed 26 cases-25 men and one woman from 38 to 83 years old-treated from January 1997 to January 2006 in our institution. Three-year survival rate was 88% in all cases, 100% in stages I and II, and 67% in stages III and IV. Overall sites recurrence was 38%, 17% in primary recurrence, 13% in cervical recurrence, and 8% in distant metastasis. Primary recurrence was salvaged 25% of patients and cervical recurrence, 67%, respectively. In nonoperative cases for the neck, cervical recurrence was 8% and salvaged by neck dissection, so we concluded that elective neck dissection was not necessary.