Clinicopathological characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma arising from oral submucous fibrosis: A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is considered to be a potentially malignant oral disorder with high risk of malignant transformation. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) arising from OSMF has peculiar clinical and histopathological features.

Aim: To assess the clinicopathological features of OSCC arising in the background of OSMF in an attempt to identify the patients with OSMF who are at increased risk of developing OSCC.

Methodology: A systematic review was performed based on PRISMA guidelines to include articles published until May 2021 in English, relating the clinicohistopathological characteristics of OSCC arising from OSMF (OSMF-OSCC) or OSMF associated with OSCC (OSCC-OSMF). All the eligible articles were analyzed and relevant data were extracted.

Results: Seventeen articles were included for systematic review after following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The malignant transformation rate of OSMF-OSCC ranged from 1.9 to 9.13 and the prevalence of OSCC-OSMF ranged from 2.8 to 66. The mean age of the patients ranged from 36.6 years to 47.2 years and buccal mucosa was the common site to be affected. Majority of the OSCC-OSMF was well-to-moderately differentiated and majority of them did not metastasize to the lymph nodes.

Conclusion: OSCC associated with OSMF presents at a younger age with early tumor stage, better differentiation, and better prognosis when compared to OSCC not associated with OSMF. However, more multicentric prospective studies with large sample size are required to determine the true biologic behavior of OSCC arising in the background of OSMF to establish less aggressive treatment strategies considering them as a separate entity.

Keywords: Malignant transformation; oral squamous cell carcinoma; oral submucous fibrosis.