A histopathologic comparison between synchronous and single primary oral squamous cell carcinomas.

OBJECTIVE

This study compares synchronous oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) with single primary OSCCs to assess the histopathologic parameters with a known prognostic significance.

STUDY

DESIGN

Twenty-eight cases of synchronous OSCCs and a control group of single primary OSCCs were compared for 15 histologic prognostic variables.

RESULTS

Results showed significantly less amount of abnormal mitoses (synchronous-1: P = .002; synchronous-2: P = .006) and tumor-induced stroma (synchronous-1: P = .011; synchronous-2: P = .001) in synchronous OSCCs than in single primary OSCCs. Depth of invasion was considerably lower in synchronous OSCCs than in single primary OSCCs (synchronous-1: P = .007; synchronous-2: P = .002). Lymph node metastasis (synchronous-1: P = .051; synchronous-2: P = .051) was found to be rare in synchronous OSCCs compared with single primary OSCCs.

CONCLUSION

Synchronous OSCCs show less aggressive histopathologic features than single primary OSCCs.