title: Impact of perineural invasion as independent prognostic factor for local and regional failure in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Perineural invasion (PNI) is frequent in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and could play an important role in treatment decisions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study used multivariate analysis to evaluate the impact of PNI on locoregional recurrence, neck metastases, and survival in 236 consecutive patients with oral cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significant differences in the local (P = .007) and regional (P = .041) failure rates in the PNI-positive group compared with the PNI-negative group. Univariate analysis demonstrated that PNI-positive patients had significantly worse locoregional control (P = .011), disease-specific survival (P = .023), and overall survival (P = .046) compared with PNI-negative patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PNI was an independent predictor of local and regional failure in a well-defined, homogeneous population with OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Researcher, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotorial Science, University of Bologna, Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: Achilletarsitano@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarsitano
authors.affiliation: Medical Doctor, Section of Pathology, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tardio
authors.affiliation: Professor of Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotorial Science, University of Bologna, Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchetti
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome