Publication:

Mandibular bone invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma: diagnostic concordance between radiology and histopathology

Background Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), constituting 90% of oral cancers, frequently invades the mandible, complicating staging, prognosis, and surgical planning. Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) is vital for detecting bone invasion and guiding management.

Methods A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with OSCC who showed radiological evidence of bone involvement and subsequently underwent surgical intervention between January 2020 and December 2023. Parameters assessed included patient demographics, surgical approach, radiological and histopathological bone involvement, tumor and nodal staging, recurrence patterns, distant metastasis, and adjuvant therapy received.

Results The study included 74 patients, with a male predominance (65 males, 87.83%; 9 females, 12.16%). The mean age was 54.66±0.49 years, and the median follow-up period was 6 months. In 66 out of 74 patients (89.28%), radiological findings were consistent with histopathological confirmation, supporting the diagnostic reliability of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Among the 55 patients who received radiotherapy, local recurrence occurred in 16.4%, while regional and loco-regional recurrences were comparatively lower.

Conclusions This study highlights a strong agreement between radiological and pathological evaluations in identifying bone involvement in oral carcinoma, affirming the utility of CECT as an effective, non-invasive diagnostic tool.