A Study on Concordance of Pre and Post-surgical Biopsy in Oral Carcinoma

Background: Clinically suspicious oral lesions are usually first dealt with an incisional biopsy. The management and treatment plan of these entities depends mainly on this report. The disparity in incisional and excisional biopsy report is an important area of concern affecting the patient’s management. Objective: Aim of the study was to compare retrospectively the incisional (presurgical) and excisional (post-surgical) biopsy reports of proven cases of carcinomas. Material and Methods: A total of 98 excisional biopsy cases of proved oral carcinoma were selected. Both incisional and excisional biopsy reports were retrieved. Sex predilection, Frequency of site of tumor, correlation between incisional and excisional biopsy, type of biopsy and change in the status were studied and statistically analyzed. Significance between Pre-biopsy and post biopsy was statistically analyzed using Chi-Square Tests. Results: There was concordance of 66.3% in incisional and excisional biopsy report. 33.7% cases showed disparity. Upgrading in the excisional biopsy report was noted in 15.30% cases. Downgrading was noted in 14.26% cases. When statistically analyzed the difference in pre-and post-biopsy was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: Incisional biopsy was found to have certain restriction in the valuation of Oral lesions. Clinicians should be vigilant the possibility of under diagnosis from incisional biopsy and even undetected carcinoma in the incisional specimen, especially of nonhomogeneous lesions.