Objectives: Descriptively analyze epidemiological, pathological, pathological and outcome data, in addition to estimating the influence of staging, primary site and anatomopathological characteristics on overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with neck head squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: Retrospective study based on the analysis of 102 patients with neck head squamous cell carcinoma submitted to surgery as a single therapy, attended at the Clinical Hospital of the State University of Campinas from 2010 to 2019. Exploratory data analysis through summary measures. The groups were compared using the Chi-Square test or Mann–Whitney test. The Kaplan–Meier estimator was used to estimate overall and disease-free survival. The survival of the groups was compared through the Log-Rank test. The factors associated with the time of death and recurrence were analyzed by Cox Regression.

Results: Data were collected from 102 patients. The majority had stage I or II (81.4%). Regarding the outcome, 21.6% had recurrence, 18.6% died and 84.3% had a complete response. Active smokers had lower complete response, higher risk of death and recurrence. Perineural invasion is also associated with death. The overall and disease-free survival time at 5 years was 74.7% and 69.3%, respectively. The staging and primary site of the tumor did not significantly alter the survival of the patients.

Discussion: This study brings important epidemiological data, shows the importance of active smoking as an important risk factor for death, tumor recurrence and in the complete response after surgery. It also shows overall survival and disease-free survival at 5 years, similar to that found in the literature. Conclusion: Surgery as an exclusive therapy in early tumor stages is an important therapeutic weapon in squamous cell carcinomas of the neck head.

Keywords: Head and neck cancer; Squamous cell carcinoma; Surgery; Survival.