title: Current trends and future perspectives in the surgical management of oral cancer.
abstract: Surgery remains the frontline treatment for oral cancer. Factors affecting the surgical management are related to the staging of the primary disease and the presence of regional or distant metastasis. Histopathological parameters such as tumour grade, depth and pattern of invasion are of paramount importance for the extent of the surgical treatment. Surgery of the neck is evolving to more selective treatments and the concept of sentinel lymph node biopsy is gradually been established in the management of the neck for early oral cancer. Reconstruction of the defect is mainly performed with free flaps. Further refinement in the flap selection and harvesting techniques will lead to free-style flap reconstruction, minimising the morbidity of the donor site and increasing the versatility of reconstruction at the recipient site.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Centre, University College London Hospitals, 1st Floor East, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG, United Kingdom. nicholas.kalavrezos@uclh.org
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalavrezos
authors.forename: Rishi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhandari
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008488:Medical Illustration; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D013524:Surgical Flaps