Evaluation of a Novel Prognostic System for Surgically Resected Oral Cavity Carcinoma

The Oral Cavity Predictive Score (OCCPS) is a point-based system including T/N stage, LVSI, and grade that has been validated for predicting distant metastasis. We tested its ability to predict overall survival (OS) in surgically managed oral cavity carcinoma (OCC). Patients diagnosed 2010-2020 and treated with surgery were selected from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) and stratified into standard, intermediate, and high-risk categories using OCCPS. The Kaplan-Meier method compared OS in the whole cohort and select subgroups. Of 32 317 patients (median follow-up 38.4 months), 51.7%, 22.5%, and 25.8% were classified into standard, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively. Five-year OS was 73.4%, 58.6%, and 39.3% (log rank p < 0.001). The OCCPS stratified patients with negative margins and absent ENE, and stage IVA-B disease (log rank p < 0.001). In patients with OCC managed with at least definitive surgery, the OCCPS successfully stratifies patients into standard, intermediate, and high-risk groups for prediction of OS.