Study Cohort
Forty-seven patients, including 29 men (61.7%) and 18 women (38.3%), with a median age of 64 ± 15.2 years (range: 30y - 93y), were included in this retrospective, multicentric analysis. All of whom underwent tumor resection and free flap reconstruction of the cheek. SCC was the predominant tumor histology (n=38; 80.9%) followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC; n=3; 6.4%), sarcoma (n=2; 4.3%), melanoma (n=2; 4.3%), merkel cell carcinoma (MCC; n=1; 2.1%), and malignant adnexal skin tumor (n=1; 2.1%). Malignancies originated from buccal mucosa, oral cavity, parotid gland, nasal cavity and skin in 22 (46.8%), 10 (21.3%), 4 (8.5%), 3 (6.4%) and 2 (4.3%) cases, respectively. With respect to aesthetic zones, tumors were located predominantly at zone I, II, and III in 13 (27.7%), 11 (23.4%), and 23 (48.9%) cases, respectively (Table I).