Comparative evaluation among computed tomography and clinical evaluation in tumour/node stage and follow-up of oropharyngeal cancer

Abstract

Background: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is a malignant tumor arising from the epithelial lining of the oropharynx. The present study was conducted for evaluating among computed tomography and clinical evaluation in tumour/node stage and follow-up of oropharyngeal cancer.

Materials & methods: The study involved 20 patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, aged 30–80 years, divided into two equal groups—Group A (untreated) and Group B (treated with surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy). Patients with contrast contraindications were excluded. All participants underwent clinical and CT evaluation, with tumor staging based on TNM criteria. CT scans from skull base to mediastinum assessed tumor size, nodal status, bone invasion, and recurrence, and data were statistically analyzed using SPSS and Cohen’s kappa with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results: In Group A, interobserver agreement for T staging was significant (p < 0.001), while N-stage and overall staging were not. In Group B, no significant differences were found for T, N, or overall stage, likely due to post-therapeutic fibrosis and scarring that obscure imaging clarity. The results emphasize that post-treatment CT interpretation requires clinical and histopathologic correlation for accurate staging. 

Conclusion: Tomographic assessment proved reliable for primary tumor delineation but posed challenges in post-treatment evaluation, reaffirming the importance of integrated diagnostic interpretation for optimal management of oral and oropharyngeal malignancies-