title: Analysis of surgical margins in oral cancer using in situ fluorescence spectroscopy.
abstract: Oral cancer is a public health problem with high prevalence in the population. Local tumor control is best achieved by complete surgical resection with adequate margins. A disease-free surgical margin correlates with a lower rate of local recurrence and a higher rate of disease-free survival. Fluorescence spectroscopy is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that can aid in real-time cancer detection. The technique, which evaluates the biochemical composition and structure of tissue fluorescence, is relatively simple, fast and, accurate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare oral squamous cell carcinoma lesions to surgical margins and the mucosa of healthy volunteers by fluorescence spectroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 56 individuals, 28 with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 28 healthy volunteers with normal oral mucosa. Thirty six cases (64.3%) were male and the mean age was 60.9 years old. The spectra were classified and compared to histopathology to determine fluorescence efficiency for diagnostic discrimination of tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the analysis of the other cases we observed discrimination between normal mucosa, injury and margins. At two-year follow up, three individuals had local recurrence, and in two cases investigation fluorescence in the corresponding area showed qualitative differences in spectra between the recurrence area and the area without recurrence at the same anatomical site in the same patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In situ analysis of oral mucosa showed the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool that can aid in discrimination of altered mucosa and normal mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry of Piracicaba, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av. Limeira, 901, Piracicaba 13414-018, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lucia Noronha
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Materials Science, São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wagner Rafael
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Correr
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clóvis Antônio Lopes
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics (INCITO), Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonçalves Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics (INCITO), Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Celestino
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chulam
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Materials Science, São Carlos Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Trabalhador São-Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics (INCITO), Rua Prof. Antonio Prudente, 211, São Paulo 01509-900, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: lp_kowalski@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Luiz Paulo
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kowalski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012907:Smoking; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Diagnosis; Fluorescence spectroscopy; Oral cavity; Squamous cell carcinoma; Surgical margins