Oncologic outcome in advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma after refusal of recommended adjuvant therapy

Clinicians may be confronted with patients refusing recommended adjuvant therapy (AT) after the primary resection of advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). A retrospective matched cohort study at the Charité Hospital (Berlin, Germany) investigated oncological outcomes after refusal of recommended AT. The prevalence of disease recurrence was 34% higher among patients whot refused AT compared with patients who completed AT. Other factors associated with worse recurrence-free survival were female sex, advanced T category, pN0 category, extracapsular spread, poor differentiation, high lymph node yield, and low lymph node ratio.