Clinical and Radiological Outcomes After Curative-Intent Induction Chemotherapy for Primary Advanced Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background/Objectives: The role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in advanced oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) remains controversial. This study evaluated patient-level changes in primary-tumour and cervical nodal dimensions, subsequent definitive treatment, and survival after curative-intent IC.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 38 patients with primary, non-metastatic OCSCC treated with curative-intent IC between 2009 and 2024. Recurrent disease, second primary tumours, non-squamous histology, non-oral primary sites, baseline metastatic disease, direct chemoradiotherapy, and palliative systemic treatment were excluded. A prespecified simplified unidimensional radiological analysis was performed. The maximum axial primary-tumour diameter, the largest baseline cervical node, and total recorded nodal burden were compared before and after IC. Baseline nodes absent after IC were coded as 0 mm only when disappearance was confirmed on post-IC anatomical imaging. The overall survival (OS) was measured from IC initiation.