A preliminary comparative study of the prognostic implications of type 2 diabetes mellitus for patients with primary gingival carcinoma treated with surgery and radiation therapy.

PURPOSE

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) may be a risk factor in determining cancer progression. The aim of this study was to compare the progression of primary gingival cancer in patients with DM2 and nondiabetic patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Prospective follow-up studies involved patients with gingival squamous cell carcinoma in stage T2-3N0M0. Treatment comprised surgical tumor extirpation, block resection of the mandible, functional cervical dissection, and 60 Gy of adjuvant irradiation. The patients were divided into a group of patients with DM2 (DM group) and a nondiabetic, control group. Progression data was recorded after a 2-year period of clinical follow-up. Surgical samples were assessed histopathologically from the aspect of tumor spread.

RESULTS

At the end of a 2-year follow-up period, the DM group demonstrated significantly worse clinical results in terms of cervical lymph node metastases (P<.05) and mortality rate (P<.001). Histologically, the degree of tumor invasion was significantly different in the DM group and controls (P<.01).

CONCLUSION

DM2 can be considered a possible prognostic factor in cases of gingival carcinoma, forecasting an unfavorable course.