Head and Neck Verrucous Carcinoma: A European Multicenter Retrospective Study

Background We characterized oncological outcomes of head and neck verrucous carcinomas (HNVC) and explored treatment-associated outcomes.Methods Medical records of 106 HNVC patients (1994-2024) were reviewed, analyzing clinical history, tumor characteristics, treatment modality, and outcomes.Results Among 106 patients, 101 underwent surgery. Five-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival were 82.2% and 85.3%, respectively. Cox regression identified age >= 65 years as significantly increasing recurrence risk (HR = 5.989; 95% CI 2.02-17.77), while tobacco consumption decreased risk (HR = 0.309; 95% CI 0.12-0.81). Clinical T stage influenced recurrence: cT2 (HR = 0.22), cT3 (HR = 1.366), cT4 (HR = 1.525). Compared with local resection, partial organ resection (HR = 0.841) and total organ resection (HR = 0.501) showed lower recurrence rates.Conclusion HNVC demonstrates excellent five-year survival. Surgery remains the primary treatment, with wider resections significantly reducing recurrence risk, emphasizing the importance of achieving clear margins for durable local control.