Oral Pathology: Clinical Pathologic Correlations (3rd Edition)

The study discussed in the document assessed the quality of life (QOL) and functional status of 21 patients who had undergone hemimandibulectomy, a procedure often performed for late-stage head and neck cancer. The patients were divided into two groups based on the reconstructive technique used: 11 patients received soft-tissue reconstruction, while 10 underwent mandible reconstruction. The study found that patients with mandible reconstruction reported better physical appearance, eating ability, and overall QOL compared to those with soft-tissue reconstruction, as indicated by higher scores on all questionnaires, including the FACT-G and head and neck cancer-specific questions. The results suggest that mandible reconstruction may be preferable to soft tissue reconstruction in terms of QOL and function, but the authors note that further research is needed to make a definitive recommendation.