Factors associated with follow-up attendance of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: This study examined the postoperative follow-up attendance of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, evaluated some of the factors associated with it, and assessed its relationship with early detection of postoperative disease progression.

Methods: An exploratory retrospective cohort study of 430 OSCC patients was conducted. We examined associations of follow-up attendance within the first year after surgery with selected demographic and clinical factors, and with early detection of disease progression.

Results: The mean number of follow-up visits within the first year after surgery was 3.9 out of the 12 recommended at our center; few patients were fully adherent. Age ≥70 years, unmarried status, high education level, and negative history of surgery for premalignant or malignant lesions from oral cavity or other sites were significantly associated with lower follow-up attendance. Greater follow-up attendance was significantly associated with early detection of disease progression during the first year after surgery (p = 0.025).

Conclusions: Adherence to follow-up visits was poor. Several sociodemographic and clinical factors were related to follow-up attendance, greater follow-up attendance was significantly associated with early detection of disease progression, and these should be further explored in future research.