title: Ablative surgery and free flap reconstruction for elderly patients with oral or oropharyngeal cancer: oncologic and functional outcomes.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  This was the first study to specifically demonstrate the validity of ablative surgery and free flap reconstruction for elderly patients with oral or oropharyngeal cancer in terms of oncologic and functional outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of advanced age on oncologic and functional outcomes after ablative surgery and free flap reconstruction in patients with oral or oropharyngeal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of all patients who underwent ablative surgery and reconstruction with free flap for primary oral or oropharyngeal cancer at our institution between 2000 and 2009. The impact of advanced age (≥70 years) on oncologic and functional outcomes was assessed in univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Advanced patient age had a worse impact on overall (p = 0.006), specific (p = 0.02) and disease-free (p = 0.03) survival in univariate analysis, but had only a worse impact on overall survival (p = 0.03) in multivariate analysis. In the elderly patients, overall, specific and disease-free survival rates at 5 years were 43%, 51% and 49%, respectively. There was no significant difference in functional outcomes between elderly and young patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Institut Universitaire de la Face et du Cou, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Eric Edi Martial
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Nao
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dassonville
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poissonnet
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chamorey
authors.forename: Cédric-Sandy
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Pierre
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Riss
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peyrade
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Benezery
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chemaly
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sudaka
authors.forename: Pierre-Yves
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Marcy
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vallicioni
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demard
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies