Reconstruction in early squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity - Do free flaps improve oncological outcome?

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ranks on position 14 in global cancer analysis and makes up to 38% of all head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. While surgery is accepted as first-line treatment of early tumors, the reconstructive approach is not standardized. Therefore, we evaluated the concept of ablative tumor removal and microvascular reconstruction in terms of oncological safety and surgical morbidity for early …