Impact of Staging, Histologic Grading, and Racial Background on Lip Cancer Survival in the United States: Insights from the SEER Database (2010–2020)

This SEER-based study provides the first lip-specific survival curves, revealing localized disease reduces mortality by 94% versus distant metastasis. Race (American Indian/Alaska Native patients faced triple the mortality risk) outweighed histologic grade in prognosis. Limited tumor-node-metastasis data highlighted registry gaps, whereas nodal sampling trends supported early regional assessment. Findings refine risk stratification, expose disparities needing targeted interventions, and set benchmarks for future research in this uncommon but clinically significant cancer.