What do systematic reviews say?

Surgical removal of the lesion (surgical excision, laser surgery, cryotherapy) vs Placebo or no treatment

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for treating oral leukoplakia to prevent oral cancer 2016 · Cochrane All outcomes
  'We did not identify any RCTs that compared surgical treatments with placebo or no treatment.' Three surgical RCTs were found (Chee 2013, Lopez-Jornet 2013, Schwarz 2005) but all excluded because they did not include a…
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Surgery vs Radiotherapy alone

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse events: grade 2+ treatment-related events similar (31/34 radiotherapy vs 33/34 surgery; RR 0.94, 0.83 to 1.06); more hearing loss/neutropenia/constipation/tinnitus with radiotherapy, more oral bleeding/trismus…
  1 study · 68 participants
  Very low

Surgery vs Radiotherapy alone

Surgery showed no clear difference in total mortality compared with radiotherapy alone (low certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 years
  HR 0.83 [0.09, 7.46]
  1 study · 68 participants
  Low

Surgery vs Radiotherapy alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Locoregional recurrence: not reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery vs Radiotherapy alone

Surgery showed no clear difference in disease-free survival (new disease, progression, and mortality) compared with radiotherapy alone (low certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 years
  HR 1.07 [0.27, 4.22]
  1 study · 68 participants
  Low

Surgery vs Radiotherapy alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Recurrence: not reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Radiotherapy alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Locoregional recurrence: not reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Radiotherapy alone

It is very uncertain whether surgery plus radiotherapy changes total mortality compared with radiotherapy alone (very low certainty).

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  3 years
  HR 0.24 [0.10, 0.59]
  1 study · 35 participants
  Very low

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Radiotherapy alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Disease-free survival: not reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Radiotherapy alone

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Recurrence: not reported.
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Radiotherapy alone

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse events: severe acute effects in both groups (subcutaneous fibrosis, telangiectasia, moderate-to-severe oedema, xerostomia, trismus, dysphagia); subcutaneous fibrosis more prevalent with surgery + radiotherapy…
  1 study · 35 participants
  Very low

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  oral cavity
  Disease-free survival: not reported (Iyer 2015).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  oral cavity
  Total mortality: study reported survival significantly better with surgery and RT vs chemoradiotherapy, but no useable data; 32 participants (1 RCT, Iyer 2015 oral cavity subgroup).
  1 study · 32 participants
  Very low

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes
  Adverse events: not reported for any participants (Iyer 2015).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  oral cavity
  Recurrence: not reported for the oral cancer subgroup (Iyer 2015).
  0 studies
  No studies found

Surgery plus radiotherapy vs Chemotherapy (chemoradiotherapy)

• Interventions for the treatment of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers: surgical treatment 2023 · Cochrane All outcomes

  oral cavity
  Locoregional recurrence: reported difference between groups not statistically significant (P=0.355), but no useable data; 32 participants (1 RCT, Iyer 2015).
  1 study · 32 participants
  Very low