To evaluate progression pattern and progression-free interval for patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), on the basis of the extent of resection.Between January 2000 and September 2009, 138 patients with GBM underwent postoperative radiation therapy and longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging studies. The operations were classified as biopsy, partial resection (PR), and gross total resection (GTR). Progression patterns were classified as gross tumor volume (GTV), T2 hyperintensity (T2h), distant, and free. We used the Kruskal–Wallis test to compare progression-free intervals on the basis of the extent of resection and the progression pattern.Recurrence of biopsied and PR tumors at the GTV site was 100 and 97%, respectively. The median progression-free interval was 3 months for biopsied (n = 29), 4 months for PR (n = 70), and 8 months for GTR (n = 39) tumors (p < 0.05). The median progression-free interval for progression patterns classified as GTV (n = 97), T2h (n = 24), distant (n = 12), and free (n = 5) was 3 (p < 0.05), 7, 8, and 29 months, respectively.Control of the GTV can increase the progression-free interval because gross residual tumors progress earlier than infiltrating tumor cells do.

We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic impact of the level of nodal involvement in patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Between 2005 and 2010, 105 patients with clinical stage III or IV oral SCC had chemoradiotherapy preoperatively. Clinical (cN) and pathological nodal (pN) involvement was primarily at levels Ib and II. We defined nodal involvement at levels Ia and III–V as anterior and inferior extensions, respectively, and recorded such findings as extensive. With respect to pretreatment variables (age, clinical stage, clinical findings of the primary tumour, and nodal findings), univariate analysis showed that extensive cN was the only significant factor for overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 3.27; 95% CI 1.50 to 7.13; p = 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that all pN findings, including the nodal classification (invaded nodes, multiple, and contralateral) and extensive involvement were significant, and multivariate analysis confirmed that extensive pN (HR 4.71; 95% CI 1.85 to 11.97; p = 0.001) and multiple pN (HR 2.59; 95% CI 1.10 to 6.09; p = 0.029) were independent predictors of overall survival. Assessment based on the level of invaded neck nodes may be a better predictor of survival than the current nodal classification.