Prognostic impact of postoperative complications on overall survival in 287 patients with oral cancer A retrospective single-institution study

Publication date: Available online 26 January 2019

Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Author(s): Chao Zhang, Meng Ying Xi, Jie Zeng, Yong Li, Cong Yu

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the relationship between postoperative complications and long-term survival in patients with oral cancer after surgery and to explore the methods improving the survival rate through analyzing risk factors for the postoperative complications.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, single-institution study with a cohort of 287 patients with oral cancer who had undergone surgery at the Stomatological Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2012.

Results

Postoperative complications occurred in 80 patients (27.9%). Patients with pulmonary complications or delirium had worse overall survival than those without these complications, whereas other postoperative complications, such as surgical site infection, postoperative bleeding, salivary fistula, and chylothorax, were not associated with overall survival. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status and tracheostomy were the risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications according to the Pearson χ² test or multivariate analysis. Using the Pearson χ² test, we found that age, comorbidity, and ASA status were the risk factors for the incidence of postoperative delirium. However, in the multivariate analysis, only two risk factors were identified: comorbidity and ASA status.

Conclusions

Postoperative pulmonary complications and postoperative delirium may be independent predictors of poorer long-term survival in patients with oral cancer. The risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications and postoperative delirium could help us to identify patients who are at high risk and help us to take some actions to prevent them.

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