Retrospective cohort study of serum metabolomics for prognostic stratification in resected advanced-stage oral cavity cancer

Improved methods are needed to predict recurrence in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). A retrospective cohort study at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taoyuan, Taiwan) aimed at identifying serum metabolites association with recurrence after resection of advanced-stage OSSCC. The study included 228 patients who underwent resection between 2007 and 2018. A total of 19 serum metabolites were associated with relapse and were included in a novel MetaboScore. Patients with a high MetaboScore (≥11) demonstrated worse 5-year outcomes for local control, neck control, distant metastases, disease-free survival, and disease-specific survival compared with those with lower scores (<11). The authors conclude that serum metabolomic profiling enhances prognostic stratification in advanced-stage OCSCC and could inform personalized therapeutic decisions.