The prognostic relevance of various factors at the time of the first admission of the patient. Retrospective DOSAK study on carcinoma of the oral cavity.

In a retrospective study, on a sample of 1021 patients with carcinoma of the lips, oral cavity and oropharynx, the clinically available factors at the time of the patient's first admission are analysed with reference to their prognostic relevance. Prognostically relevant factors are determined by both univariate and multivariate analyses. Of the 18 factors analysed, the following seven finally proved to be prognostically relevant: tumour size, degree of infiltration, degree of histological differentiation and site by organ of the primary tumour, the combination of evidence + clinical appearance + degree of fixation of the regional lymph nodes, age of the patient, and evidence of distant metastases. On the basis of these results it will be possible to create a prognostic index. This prognostic index should be eligible for use in clinical practice, as opposed to usual classification models.